Psalms 139
1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
2 You have known my sitting down and my rising up again.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated.
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways.
4 And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue.
For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.
[Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.
7 Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there]. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea,
[If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me.
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light.
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 have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother.
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
15 My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth.
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.
17 But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you.
[If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19 O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me.
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain.
For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.
21 Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies?
Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me.
I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question me, and know my paths.
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity.
And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
