Psalms 139
1 Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me:
For the Leader. A Psalm of David. O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou hast know my sitting down, and my rising up.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out.
Thou measurest my going about and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 And thou hast foreseen all my ways: for there is no speech in my tongue.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.
5 Behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things, the last and those of old: thou hast formed me, and hast laid thy hand upon me.
Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.
6 Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me: it is high, and I cannot reach to it.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy 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 the nether-world, behold, Thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me.
Even there would Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand would hold me.
11 And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
And if I say: 'Surely the darkness shall envelop me, and the light about me shall be night';
12 But darkness shall not be dark to thee, and night shall be light as day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to thee.
Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness is even as the light.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast protected me from my mother’s womb.
For Thou hast made my reins; Thou hast knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: wonderful are thy works, and my soul knoweth right well.
I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My bone is not hidden from thee, which thou hast made in secret: and my substance in the lower parts of the earth.
My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thy eyes did see my imperfect being, and in thy book all shall be written: days shall be formed, and no one in them.
Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written — even the days that were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 But to me thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
How weighty also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
18 I will number them, and they shall be multiplied above the sand: I rose up and am still with thee.
If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand; were I to come to the end of them, I would still be with Thee.
19 If thou wilt kill the wicked, O God: ye men of blood, depart from me:
If Thou but wouldest slay the wicked, O God — depart from me therefore, ye men of blood;
20 Because you say in thought: They shall receive thy cities in vain.
Who utter Thy name with wicked thought, they take it for falsehood, even Thine enemies —
21 Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated thee: and pine away because of thy enemies?
Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? And do not I strive with those that rise up against Thee?
22 I have hated them with a perfect hatred: and they are become enemies to me.
I hate them with utmost hatred; I count them mine enemies.
23 Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.
Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts;
24 And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way.
And see if there be any way in me that is grievous, and lead me in the way everlasting.
