Psalms 139
1 O Jehovah, thou have searched me, and known.
For the chief musician. A psalm of David. Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know me.
2 Thou know my sitting down and my rising up. Thou understand my thought afar off.
You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.
3 Thou search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
You observe my path and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Jehovah, thou know it altogether.
For before there is a word on my tongue, you know it completely, Yahweh.
5 Thou have beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
Behind me and before me you surround me and place your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high, I cannot attain to it.
Such knowledge is too much for me; it is too high, and I cannot reach it.
7 Where shall I go from thy Spirit? Or where shall I flee from thy presence?
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou are there. (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the outermost parts of the sea,
If I fly away on the wings of the morning and go to live in the uttermost parts across the sea,
10 even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold on to me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, and the light around me shall be night,
If I said, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light will become night around me,”
12 even the darkness hides not from thee, but the night shines as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
even the darkness would not be dark to you. The night would shine like the day, for the darkness and the light are both alike to you.
13 For thou formed my inward parts. Thou covered me in my mother's womb.
You formed my inner parts; you formed me in my mother's womb.
14 I will give thanks to thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are thy works, and that my soul knows right well.
I will praise you, for I am wonderfully made. My soul knows this very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in private, when I was intricately made in the depths of the earth.
16 Thine eyes saw my unformed substance, and in thy book they were all written, even the days that were ordained, when as yet there was none of them.
You saw me inside the womb; all the days assigned to me were recorded in your book even before the first one happened.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
How precious are your thoughts to me, God! How vast is their sum!
18 I count them; they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee.
If I tried to count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
19 Surely thou will kill the wicked, O God. Depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.
If only you would kill the wicked, God; get away from me, you violent men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take it in vain.
They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.
21 Do I not hate them, O Jehovah, who hate thee? And am I not grieved with those who rise up against thee?
Do I not hate those, Yahweh, who hate you? Do I not despise those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.
I hate them completely; they have become my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts,
Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24 and see if there is any wicked way in me. And lead me in the way everlasting.
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
