Psalms 139
1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David. O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.
“To the chief musician, by David, a psalm.” O Lord! thou hast searched me through, and thou knowest [me].
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou indeed knowest my sitting down and my rising up, thou understandest my thinking while yet afar off.
3 Thou measurest my going about and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
My walking and my lying down hast thou limited, and with all my ways art thou acquainted.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.
For, while there is not a word on my tongue, lo, thou, O Lord, knowest it entirely.
5 Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.
Behind and before hast thou hedged me in, and thou placest upon me thy hand.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too high, I cannot attain unto it.
Too wonderful is such knowledge for me: it is too exalted, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee away from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in the nether-world, behold, Thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
If I should ascend into heaven, thou art there; and if I should make my bed in the nether world, behold, thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
If I should lift up the wings of the morning-dawn, if I should dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:
10 Even there would Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand would hold me.
Even there would thy hand lead me, and thy right hand would seize hold of me.
11 And if I say: 'Surely the darkness shall envelop me, and the light about me shall be night';
If I said, Surely darkness shall enshroud me, and into night [be turned] the light about me:
12 Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness is even as the light.
Yet even darkness can obscure nothing from thee; but the night will shine like the day; both the darkness and the light are alike [to thee].
13 For Thou hast made my reins; Thou hast knit me together in my mother's womb.
For thou possessest my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
I will thank thee therefore, that I am [so] fearfully [and] wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
My being was not concealed from thee, when I was made in secret, when I was [so to say] embroidered in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 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.
My undeveloped substance did thy eyes see; and in thy book were all of them written down—the days which have been formed, while yet not one of them was here.
17 How weighty also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
And how precious are unto me thy thoughts, O God! how mightily great is their sum!
18 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.
Should I count them, they would be more numerous than the sand: I awake, and I am still with thee.
19 If Thou but wouldest slay the wicked, O God — depart from me therefore, ye men of blood;
If thou wouldst but slay the wicked, O God! and ye men of blood, depart from me.
20 Who utter Thy name with wicked thought, they take it for falsehood, even Thine enemies —
Who speak of thee for a wicked end, thy enemies, that bear [thy name] for a vain purpose.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? And do not I strive with those that rise up against Thee?
Behold, those that hate thee I ever hate, O Lord; and for those that rise up against thee do I feel loathing.
22 I hate them with utmost hatred; I count them mine enemies.
With the utmost hatred do I hate them: enemies are they become unto me.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts;
Search me through, O God, and know my heart; probe me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any way in me that is grievous, and lead me in the way everlasting.
And see if there be a way of perverseness in me, and lead me on the way of eternity.
