Psalms 139
1 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
For the music director. A psalm of David. Lord, you have examined me from the inside out—you know everything about me!
2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off;
You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know what I'm thinking even when I'm a long way away.
3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways;
You observe where I go and when I rest. You're familiar with everything I do.
4 For there is not yet a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
Lord, you even know what I'm going to say before I say it.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
You're always there—behind me, in front of me, and all around me. You place your caring hand on me.
6 O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.
This amazing knowledge you have is far beyond me, way beyond my understanding!
7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence?
Where can I go that you're not already there? Where can I run to escape your presence?
8 If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou [art there]; (Sheol h7585)
If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I lie down in Sheol, look—you are there too! (Sheol h7585)
9 [If] I take the wings of the dawn [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
If I were to fly away on wings of the dawn to the east; if I were to live on the far western shore of the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
even there your hand would lead me, your right hand would support me.
11 And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night;
If I asked the darkness to hide me, and light to become night around me,
12 Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light.
Even darkness would not be dark for you, and the night would be bright as day, for darkness is like light to you.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother's womb.
You made me from the inside out, shaping me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
I praise you for making me in such an awesome and wonderful way. What you do is incredible—I realize this completely!
15 My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth.
My growing body was not hidden from you as I was formed in secret, as I was intricately put together “in the depths of the earth.”
16 Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all [my members] were written; [during many] days were they fashioned, when [as yet] there was none of them.
You saw me as an embryo, and in your book all my days were written down—the days that were made for me before any of them existed.
17 But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
God, your thoughts are so valuable to me! Taken together, they can't be counted!
18 [If] I would 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 than every grain of sand. Yet when I awake I am still with you.
19 Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God! And ye men of blood, depart from me.
God, if you would only kill the wicked! Murderers, get away from me!
20 For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.
When they speak of you they're being deceptively evil. Since they are your enemies, they call on you in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee?
Lord, don't I hate those who hate you? I despise those who rebel against you!
22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies.
I hate them with absolute hatred—they have become my enemies!
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts;
Examine me carefully, God, so you can be sure of my true feelings. Check me out so you can know what I really think.
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
Please show me if I'm following any kind of idol, and lead me along the path of eternal life.
