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Psalm 139:12

even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.

10even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.
11If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”
12even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.
13For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.
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← Psalm 139:11Psalm 139:13 →
Notice

Night loses its power to conceal in these words, which can bring comfort or unease: God sees through what leaves human eyes unable to see.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What comfort or unease comes with knowing that darkness cannot hide you from God?

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Where does your own inability to see make it hard to trust that God sees?

Write on this
Connect

Where else Scripture says this

9 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Daniel 2:22He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.Both passages speak of God's knowledge reaching into darkness, where nothing escapes his sight.
Job 34:22There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.Both deny that darkness can conceal anything from God; Job applies that truth to those who do evil.
Matthew 6:4so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.Both affirm that God sees what is hidden; Matthew applies this to merciful deeds done in secret.
Exodus 20:21The people stayed at a distance, and Moses came near to the thick darkness where God was.Both associate darkness with God's presence rather than his absence: Moses approaches God in darkness, and the psalm addresses God who sees through it.
Hebrews 4:13There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.Both deny that anything can remain hidden from God's sight; Hebrews adds that each creature owes him an account.
Job 12:22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.Darkness conceals nothing from God in the psalm, while Job describes God uncovering what lies in darkness.
Job 26:6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.Both describe the absence of concealment before God, whether in the darkness of night or in Sheol and Abaddon.
Job 13:20“Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:Both speak of hiding from God, though Job speaks of his own response rather than darkness concealing him.
Exodus 14:20It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all …Both mention darkness and light at night, though Exodus describes light between two camps rather than God's unhindered sight.
Where this verse fits

Anxiety or panic. feeling distant from God. fear for the future.

What the Bible says about anxiety →What the Bible says about doubt →What the Bible says about fear →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Name one hidden fear before God at bedtime

prayeroncelight
Encouragement

The night may still feel dark to you. These words make no promise of clear sight for you tonight; they affirm that darkness never limits God's sight.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 139:12. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 139 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).