Psalms 139
1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” O LORD! thou hast searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.
Thou knowest my sitting-down and my rising-up; Thou understandest my thoughts from afar!
3 You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.
Thou seest my path and my lying-down, And art acquainted with all my ways!
4 Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.
For before the word is upon my tongue, Behold, O LORD! thou knowest it altogether!
5 You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.
Thou besettest me behind and before, And layest thine hand upon me!
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain to it!
7 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit, And whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend into heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in the underworld, behold, thou art there! (Sheol h7585)
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea,
If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the remotest parts of the sea,
10 even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast.
Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me!
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”—
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me;” Even the night shall be light about me.
12 even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You.
Yea, 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 You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
For thou didst form my reins; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb.
14 I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are thy works, And this my soul knoweth full well!
15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
My frame was not hidden from thee, When I was made in secret. When I was curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
Thine eyes did see my substance, while yet unformed, And in thy book was every thing written; My days were appointed before one of them existed.
17 How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God, how vast is their sum!
How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God! How great is the sum of them!
18 If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; and when I awake, I am still with You.
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee!
19 O God, that You would slay the wicked— away from me, you bloodthirsty men—
O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God! Ye men of blood, depart from me!
20 who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.
For they speak against thee wickedly; Thine enemies utter thy name for falsehood.
21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You?
Do I not hate them that hate thee, O LORD? Do I not abhor them that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies.
Yea, I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.
Search me, O God! and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts;
24 See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.
And see if the way of trouble be within me, And lead me in the way everlasting!
