What does Psalm 139:17-18 mean?

Psalm 139:17-18 (KJV) reads: "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand." It sits in Psalms chapter 139, a piece of Hebrew prayer and praise poetry from the Old Testament, and is most often read as a verse about thinking of you. The meaning sharpens when you read the verses immediately around it and notice how Psalms as a whole is arguing its case.

What is the context of Psalm 139:17-18 in Psalms?

Psalm 139:17-18 belongs to Psalms 139, which fits inside Psalms's wider message as Hebrew prayer and praise poetry. Before applying the verse, read at least the paragraph it appears in so you can see who is speaking, who is being addressed, and what situation prompted the words.

Is Psalm 139:17-18 from the Old or New Testament?

Psalm 139:17-18 is from the Old Testament — specifically the book of Psalms, chapter 139. That matters because Old Testament verses are usually addressed first to ancient Israel under the Mosaic covenant, and Christians read them through the lens of Christ's fulfilment.

What translation of Psalm 139:17-18 is used here?

Every verse on Bible Sundays is quoted from the King James Version (KJV), the public-domain English translation first published in 1611. We use the KJV consistently so the wording you memorise on one page matches the wording on every other page of the site.

How can I memorise Psalm 139:17-18?

Read Psalm 139:17-18 aloud three times, write it out by hand once, then try to recite it from memory. Repeat morning and evening for a week. Pair it with the theme of thinking of you so your mind has a natural retrieval cue. Reviewing on day 1, day 3, day 7 and day 30 locks it in for the long term.

How should I apply Psalm 139:17-18 today?

Identify one specific situation in the next 24 hours — a conversation, a decision, a fear, a temptation around thinking of you — where Psalm 139:17-18 should change your response. Pray the verse back to God for that situation, then act on it. Application is what turns reading into obedience.

Thinking of You Card Verse

Psalm 139:17-18 for Thinking of You Cards

A free, printable, share-ready KJV card verse. Pick a theme, download as a high-resolution image, or copy the text for handwritten cards.

For Thinking of You

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.”

Psalm 139:17-18

King James Versionbiblesundays.com

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Why Psalm 139:17-18 works for thinking of you cards

If God's thoughts about us are numberless, our thinking of others reflects His character.

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand."

Read Psalms 139 (KJV) →

How to use this thinking of you card

Pick a theme above that matches the recipient's taste — botanical for weddings and showers, midnight for solemn occasions, kraft for rustic.
Download the PNG at 1200×1500 — Pinterest-optimized and high enough resolution for printing on standard 5×7 cardstock.
Send digitally via text, email, or social, or print and pair with a handwritten note inside.
Reference the chapter — readers often want to look up the surrounding context. Tap the link above to read Psalms 139 in the KJV.

More Thinking of You card verses

Philippians 1:3

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."

1 Thessalonians 1:2

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers."

Romans 1:9

"For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers."

Ephesians 1:16

"Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers."

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil."

Isaiah 49:15-16

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."

Psalm 121:7-8

"The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

Romans 15:13

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope."

See all 11 thinking of you card verses →