< Psalms 139 >

1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
To the Overseer. — A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou — Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
My path and my couch Thou hast fanned, And [with] all my ways hast been acquainted.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Behind and before Thou hast besieged me, And Thou dost place on me Thy hand.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Knowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend the heavens — there Thou [art], And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee! (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Also there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
And I say, 'Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night [is] light to me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Also darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as [is] darkness so [is] light.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
For Thou — Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth.
16 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.
Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed — And not one among them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies.
21 Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
[With] perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts,
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!

< Psalms 139 >