Psalms 139
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways.
You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.
4 For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.
6 [Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Where can I go to escape 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 to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, 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 rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light 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 is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together 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 praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know 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 frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together 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.
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O 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 were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; and when I awake, I am still with You.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
O God, that You would slay the wicked— away from me, you bloodthirsty men—
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.
who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.
24 And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.
