Psalms 139
1 “To the chief musician, by David, a psalm.” O Lord! thou hast searched me through, and thou knowest [me].
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. LORD, thou hast searched 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 downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 My walking and my lying down hast thou limited, and with all my ways art thou acquainted.
Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For, while there is not a word on my tongue, lo, thou, O Lord, knowest it entirely.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Behind and before hast thou hedged me in, and thou placest upon me thy hand.
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Too wonderful is such knowledge for me: it is too exalted, I cannot attain unto it.
[Such] knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee away from thy presence?
Whither shall I from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy 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 ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art 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 take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there would thy hand lead me, and thy right hand would seize hold of me.
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I said, Surely darkness shall enshroud me, and into night [be turned] the light about me:
If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, and the light about me shall be night;
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].
Even the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike [to thee].
13 For thou possessest my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in 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 thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works; and that my soul knoweth 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 frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought 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 did see mine unperfect substance, and in thy book were all [my members] written, which day by day were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 And how precious are unto me thy thoughts, O God! how mightily great is their sum!
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 Should I count them, they would be more numerous than the sand: I awake, and I am still with thee.
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19 If thou wouldst but slay the wicked, O God! and ye men of blood, depart from me.
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.
20 Who speak of thee for a wicked end, thy enemies, that bear [thy name] for a vain purpose.
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take [thy 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 not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 With the utmost hatred do I hate them: enemies are they become unto me.
I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me through, O God, and know my heart; probe 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 a way of perverseness in me, and lead me on the way of eternity.
And see if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
