Psalms 139:17
What does Psalms 139:17 mean?
A plain-English look at Psalms 139:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Psalms 139:17 means
Overwhelmed by the revelation of God's meticulous and provident care from before his birth, David exclaims about the "precious" nature of God's thoughts concerning him. He recognizes that these divine thoughts are not only vast in number but also invaluable and deeply meaningful. This shows a profound shift from merely understanding God's attributes to personally embracing the goodness and value of God's specific intentions for his individual life.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
KJV
King James Version · 1611How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them!
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Not available in this translation
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, OGod! how great is the sum of them!
Context
Having just revealed God's detailed foreknowledge of his entire life plan in verse 16, David now expresses his personal emotional response to such a profound truth. This verse marks a transition from describing God's attributes to reflecting on their personal impact, specifically the preciousness of God's thoughts concerning him. This personal reflection then naturally leads into a continued marveling at the sheer number of these divine thoughts.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 92:5
How great are thy works, O Jehovah! Thy thoughts are very deep.
- Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.
- Ephesians 3:9
and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
- Psalms 31:19
Oh how great is thy goodness, Which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, Which thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in thee, Before the sons of men!
- Psalms 36:7
How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings.
- Proverbs 8:31
Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.
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