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 THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF DAVID. YHWH, You have searched me, and know.
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.
You have known my sitting down, And my rising up, You have attended to my thoughts from afar.
3 You observe where I go and when I rest. You're familiar with everything I do.
You have fanned my path and my lying down, And have been acquainted [with] all my ways.
4 Lord, you even know what I'm going to say before I say it.
For there is not a word in my tongue, Behold, O YHWH, You have known it all!
5 You're always there—behind me, in front of me, and all around me. You place your caring hand on me.
You have besieged me behind and before, And You place Your hand on me.
6 This amazing knowledge you have is far beyond me, way beyond my understanding!
Knowledge too wonderful for me, It has been set on high, I am not able for it.
7 Where can I go that you're not already there? Where can I run to escape your presence?
To where do I go from Your Spirit? And to where do I flee from Your face?
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 ascend the heavens—You [are] there, And spread out a bed in Sheol, behold, You! (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,
I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,
10 even there your hand would lead me, your right hand would support me.
Also there Your hand leads me, And Your right hand holds me.
11 If I asked the darkness to hide me, and light to become night around me,
And I say, “Surely darkness bruises me,” Then night [is] light to 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.
Also darkness does not hide from You, And night shines as day, As [is] darkness so [is] light.
13 You made me from the inside out, shaping me in my mother's womb.
For You have possessed my reins, You cover me in my mother’s belly.
14 I praise you for making me in such an awesome and wonderful way. What you do is incredible—I realize this completely!
I confess You, because I have been fearfully distinguished. Your works [are] wonderful, And my soul is knowing [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 substance was not hid from You, When I was made in secret, Curiously worked in the lower part of 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.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance, And all of them are written on Your scroll, The days they were formed—And not one among them.
17 God, your thoughts are so valuable to me! Taken together, they can't be counted!
And how precious Your thoughts have been to me, O God, how great has been their sum!
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.
I recount them! They are more than the sand, I have awoken, and I am still with You.
19 God, if you would only kill the wicked! Murderers, get away from me!
Do You slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!
20 When they speak of you they're being deceptively evil. Since they are your enemies, they call on you in vain.
Who exchange You for wickedness, Your enemies [are] lifted up to vanity.
21 Lord, don't I hate those who hate you? I despise those who rebel against you!
Do I not hate, YHWH, those hating You? And grieve myself with Your withstanders?
22 I hate them with absolute hatred—they have become my enemies!
I have hated them [with] perfect hatred, They have become enemies to me.
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.
Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts,
24 Please show me if I'm following any kind of idol, and lead me along the path of eternal life.
And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a perpetual way!
