Psalms 139
1 “To the chief musician, by David, a psalm.” O Lord! thou hast searched me through, and thou knowest [me].
For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O Lord, you search and know me;
2 Thou indeed knowest my sitting down and my rising up, thou understandest my thinking while yet afar off.
when I sit, when I rise you know it, you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 My walking and my lying down hast thou limited, and with all my ways art thou acquainted.
When I walk, when I lie you sift it, familiar with all my ways.
4 For, while there is not a word on my tongue, lo, thou, O Lord, knowest it entirely.
There is not a word on my tongue, but see! Lord, you know it all.
5 Behind and before hast thou hedged me in, and thou placest upon me thy hand.
Behind and before you beset me, upon me you lay your hand.
6 Too wonderful is such knowledge for me: it is too exalted, I cannot attain unto it.
It’s too wonderful for me to know too lofty I cannot attain it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee away from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from your spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your face?
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 climb up to heaven, you are there: or make Sheol my bed, you are there. (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 lift up the wings of the morning and fly to the end of the sea,
10 Even there would thy hand lead me, and thy right hand would seize hold of me.
there also your hand would grasp me, and your right hand take hold of me.
11 If I said, Surely darkness shall enshroud me, and into night [be turned] the light about me:
If I say, “Let the darkness cover me, and night be the light about me,”
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].
The dark is not dark for you, but night is as light as the day.
13 For thou possessest my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
For you did put me together; in my mother’s womb you did weave me.
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 give you praise for my fashioning so full of awe, so wonderful. Your works are wonderful. You knew me right 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 were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and woven in the depths 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.
Your eyes saw all my days: they stood on your book every one written down, before they were fashioned, while none of them yet was mine.
17 And how precious are unto me thy thoughts, O God! how mightily great is their sum!
But how far, O God, beyond measure are your thoughts! How mighty their sum!
18 Should I count them, they would be more numerous than the sand: I awake, and I am still with thee.
Should I count, they are more than the sand. When I wake, I am still with you.
19 If thou wouldst but slay the wicked, O God! and ye men of blood, depart from me.
Will you slay the wicked, O God? And remove from me the bloodthirsty,
20 Who speak of thee for a wicked end, thy enemies, that bear [thy name] for a vain purpose.
who maliciously defy you and take your name 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.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord? Do I not loathe those who resist you?
22 With the utmost hatred do I hate them: enemies are they become unto me.
With perfect hatred I hate them, I count them my enemies.
23 Search me through, O God, and know my heart; probe me, and know my thoughts:
Search me, O God, know my heart: test me, and know my thoughts,
24 And see if there be a way of perverseness in me, and lead me on the way of eternity.
and see if guile be in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
