Psalms 139
1 For the music director. A psalm of David. Lord, you have examined me from the inside out—you know everything about me!
To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David. O Lord, thou hast tried me and knowen me.
2 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.
Thou knowest my sitting and my rising: thou vnderstandest my thought afarre off.
3 You observe where I go and when I rest. You're familiar with everything I do.
Thou compassest my pathes, and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my wayes.
4 Lord, you even know what I'm going to say before I say it.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but loe, thou knowest it wholy, O Lord.
5 You're always there—behind me, in front of me, and all around me. You place your caring hand on me.
Thou holdest mee straite behinde and before, and layest thine hand vpon me.
6 This amazing knowledge you have is far beyond me, way beyond my understanding!
Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee: it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it.
7 Where can I go that you're not already there? Where can I run to escape your presence?
Whither shall I goe from thy Spirite? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I lie down in Sheol, look—you are there too! (Sheol h7585)
If I ascende into heauen, thou art there: if I lye downe in hell, thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
9 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,
Let mee take the winges of the morning, and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea:
10 even there your hand would lead me, your right hand would support me.
Yet thither shall thine hand leade me, and thy right hand holde me.
11 If I asked the darkness to hide me, and light to become night around me,
If I say, Yet the darkenes shall hide me, euen the night shalbe light about me.
12 Even darkness would not be dark for you, and the night would be bright as day, for darkness is like light to you.
Yea, the darkenes hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkenes and light are both alike.
13 You made me from the inside out, shaping me in my mother's womb.
For thou hast possessed my reines: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe.
14 I praise you for making me in such an awesome and wonderful way. What you do is incredible—I realize this completely!
I will praise thee, for I am fearefully and wonderously made: marueilous are thy workes, and my soule knoweth it well.
15 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.”
My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and facioned beneath in the earth.
16 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.
Thine eyes did see me, when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written, which in continuance were facioned, when there was none of them before.
17 God, your thoughts are so valuable to me! Taken together, they can't be counted!
Howe deare therefore are thy thoughtes vnto me, O God! how great is ye summe of them!
18 If I tried to count them, they would be more than every grain of sand. Yet when I awake I am still with you.
If I should count them, they are moe then the sand: when I wake, I am still with thee.
19 God, if you would only kill the wicked! Murderers, get away from me!
Oh that thou wouldest slay, O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from mee:
20 When they speak of you they're being deceptively evil. Since they are your enemies, they call on you in vain.
Which speake wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine.
21 Lord, don't I hate those who hate you? I despise those who rebel against you!
Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and doe not I earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee?
22 I hate them with absolute hatred—they have become my enemies!
I hate them with an vnfained hatred, as they were mine vtter enemies.
23 Examine me carefully, God, so you can be sure of my true feelings. Check me out so you can know what I really think.
Try mee, O God, and knowe mine heart: prooue me and know my thoughtes,
24 Please show me if I'm following any kind of idol, and lead me along the path of eternal life.
And consider if there be any way of wickednes in me, and leade me in the way for euer.
