Psalms 139
1 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O Lord, you search and know me;
2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off;
when I sit, when I rise you know it, you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways;
When I walk, when I lie you sift it, familiar with all my ways.
4 For there is not yet a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
There is not a word on my tongue, but see! Lord, you know it all.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
Behind and before you beset me, upon me you lay your hand.
6 O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.
It’s too wonderful for me to know too lofty I cannot attain it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from your spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your face?
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 climb up to heaven, you are there: or make Sheol my bed, you are there. (Sheol h7585)
9 [If] I take the wings of the dawn [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
If I lift up the wings of the morning and fly to the end of the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
there also your hand would grasp me, and your right hand take hold of me.
11 And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night;
If I say, ‘Let the darkness cover me, and night be the light about me,’
12 Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light.
The dark is not dark for you, but night is as light as the day.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother's womb.
For you did put me together; in my mother’s womb you did weave me.
14 I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
I give you praise for my fashioning so full of awe, so wonderful. Your works are wonderful. You knew me right well;
15 My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth.
my bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and woven 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.
Your eyes saw all my days: they stood on your book every one written down, before they were fashioned, while none of them yet was mine.
17 But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
But how far, O God, beyond measure are your thoughts! How mighty their sum!
18 [If] I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee.
Should I count, they are more than the sand. When I wake, I am still with you.
19 Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God! And ye men of blood, depart from me.
Will you slay the wicked, O God? And remove from me the bloodthirsty,
20 For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.
who maliciously defy you and take your name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee?
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord? Do I not loathe those who resist you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies.
With perfect hatred I hate them, I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts;
Search me, O God, know my heart: test me, and know my thoughts,
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
and see if guile be in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
