< Psalms 139 >

1 Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me:
O YHWH, 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 compassest my path 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 YHWH, 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 beset me behind and before, and laid thine 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; it is 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?
8 If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I descend into hell, thou art present. (Sheol h7585)
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 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 shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
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.
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 thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast protected me from my mother’s womb.
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me 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 praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous 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 substance was not hid 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 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 thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O El! 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 should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19 If thou wilt kill the wicked, O God: ye men of blood, depart from me:
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O Eloah: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 Because you say in thought: They shall receive thy cities in vain.
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated thee: and pine away because of thy enemies?
Do not I hate them, O YHWH, 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 are become enemies to me.
I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.
Search me, O El, 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 wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

< Psalms 139 >