Psalms 139
1 “To the chief musician, by David, a psalm.” O Lord! thou hast searched me through, and thou knowest [me].
For the end, a Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me.
2 Thou indeed knowest my sitting down and my rising up, thou understandest my thinking while yet afar off.
Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising: thou understandest my thoughts long before.
3 My walking and my lying down hast thou limited, and with all my ways art thou acquainted.
Thou hast traced my path and my bed, and hast foreseen all my ways.
4 For, while there is not a word on my tongue, lo, thou, O Lord, knowest it entirely.
For there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things,
5 Behind and before hast thou hedged me in, and thou placest upon me thy hand.
the last and the first: thou hast fashioned me, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Too wonderful is such knowledge for me: it is too exalted, I cannot attain unto it.
The knowledge of thee is too wonderful for me; it is very difficult, I cannot [attain] to it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee away from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither shall I flee from my presence?
8 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)
If I should go up to heaven, thou art there: if I should go down to hell, thou art present. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I should lift up the wings of the morning-dawn, if I should dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:
If I should spread my wings [to fly] straight forward, and sojourn at the extremity of the sea, [it would be vain],
10 Even there would thy hand lead me, and thy right hand would seize hold of me.
for even there thy hand would guide me, and thy right hand would hold me.
11 If I said, Surely darkness shall enshroud me, and into night [be turned] the light about me:
When I said, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night [was] light in my luxury.
12 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].
For darkness will not be darkness with thee; but night will be light as day: as its darkness, so shall its light [be to thee].
13 For thou possessest my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
For thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins; thou hast helped me from my mother's womb.
14 I will thank thee therefore, that I am [so] fearfully [and] wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
I will give thee thanks; for thou art fearfully wondrous; wondrous are thy works; and my soul knows [it] well.
15 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.
My bones, which thou madest in secret were not hidden from thee, nor my substance, in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 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.
Thine eyes saw my unwrought [substance], and all [men] shall be written in thy book; they shall be formed by day, though [there should for a time] be no one among them.
17 And how precious are unto me thy thoughts, O God! how mightily great is their sum!
But thy friends, O God, have been greatly honoured by me; their rule has been greatly strengthened.
18 Should I count them, they would be more numerous than the sand: I awake, and I am still with thee.
I will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand; I awake, and am still with thee.
19 If thou wouldst but slay the wicked, O God! and ye men of blood, depart from me.
Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, ye men of blood.
20 Who speak of thee for a wicked end, thy enemies, that bear [thy name] for a vain purpose.
For thou wilt say concerning [their] thought, [that] they shall take thy cities in vain.
21 Behold, those that hate thee I ever hate, O Lord; and for those that rise up against thee do I feel loathing.
Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hate thee? and wasted away because of thine enemies?
22 With the utmost hatred do I hate them: enemies are they become unto me.
I have hated them with perfect hatred; they were counted my enemies.
23 Search me through, O God, and know my heart; probe me, and know my thoughts:
Prove me, O God, and know my heart; examine me, and know my paths;
24 And see if there be a way of perverseness in me, and lead me on the way of eternity.
and see if [there is any] way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.
