# Psalms 139.12

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Psalms](/codex/psalms/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me. 11. If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, And the light about me shall be night;
>
> **12. Even the darkness hideth not from thee, But the night shineth as the day: The darkness and the light are both alike to thee.**
>
> 13. For thou didst form my inward parts: Thou didst cover me in my mother's womb. 14. I will give thanks unto thee; For I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalms 139:10-14, ASV)

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

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
>
> **12. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. <sup>hideth: Heb. darkeneth not</sup> <sup>the darkness and: Heb. as is the darkness, so is the light</sup>**
>
> 13. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. <sup>right: Heb. greatly</sup> (Psalms 139:10-14, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 10. Also there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me. 11. And I say, 'Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night [is] light to me.
>
> **12. Also darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as [is] darkness so [is] light.**
>
> 13. For Thou, Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly. 14. I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] well. (Psalms 139:10-14, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Demand to Be Witnessed](/codex/argument-from-the-demand-to-be-witnessed/)

**Concepts:**

- [Doctrine](/codex/doctrine/), via [Psalms 139.7-12](/codex/psalms-139-7-12/)
- [God is Impossible Paradox Cluster](/codex/god-is-impossible-paradox-cluster/), via [Psalms 139.1-12](/codex/psalms-139-1-12/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.