Psalms 139
1 O Yhwh, thou hast searched me, and known me.
For the chief musician. A psalm of David. Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
You observe my path and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Yhwh, thou knowest it altogether.
For before there is a word on my tongue, you know it completely, Yahweh.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Behind me and before me you surround me and place your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Such knowledge is too much for me; it is too high, and I cannot reach it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
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 up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
If I fly away on the wings of the morning and go to live in the uttermost parts across the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold on to me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
If I said, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light will become night around 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.
even the darkness would not be dark to you. The night would shine like the day, for the darkness and the light are both alike to you.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
You formed my inner parts; you formed me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
I will praise you, for I am wonderfully made. My soul knows this very 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 bones were not hidden from you when I was made in private, when I was intricately made in the depths of the 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.
You saw me inside the womb; all the days assigned to me were recorded in your book even before the first one happened.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
How precious are your thoughts to me, God! How vast is their sum!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
If I tried to count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
If only you would kill the wicked, God; get away from me, you violent men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.
21 Do not I hate them, O Yhwh, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Do I not hate those, Yahweh, who hate you? Do I not despise those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
I hate them completely; they have become my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
