Psalms 139:8 (DBY)

Passage

If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou [art there];

Nearby Context

Psalms 139:6 O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.

Psalms 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence?

Psalms 139:8 If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou [art there];

Psalms 139:9 [If] I take the wings of the dawn [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Psalms 139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ascend", "heavens", "thou", "make", "sheol", and "behold". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ascend" and "heavens", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit..." into verse 9's "If I take the wings of the...", so "ascend" and "heavens" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "ascend" and "heavens" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.