Psalms 139

1 TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF DAVID. YHWH, You have searched me, and know.

For the end, a Psalm of David. O Lord, you have proved me, and known me.

2 You have known my sitting down, And my rising up, You have attended to my thoughts from afar.

You know my down-sitting and mine up-rising: you understand my thoughts long before.

3 You have fanned my path and my lying down, And have been acquainted [with] all my ways.

You have traced my path and my bed, and have foreseen all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, Behold, O YHWH, You have known it all!

For there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, you have known all things,

5 You have besieged me behind and before, And You place Your hand on me.

the last and the first: you have fashioned me, and laid your hand upon me.

6 Knowledge too wonderful for me, It has been set on high, I am not able for it.

The knowledge of you is too wonderful for me; it is very difficult, I can’t [attain] to it.

7 To where do I go from Your Spirit? And to where do I flee from Your face?

Whither shall I go from your Spirit? and whither shall I flee from my presence?

8 If I ascend the heavens—You [are] there, And spread out a bed in Sheol, behold, You! (Sheol h7585)

If I should go up to heaven, you are there: if I should go down to hell, you are present. (Sheol h7585)

9 I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part 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 Also there Your hand leads me, And Your right hand holds me.

for even there your hand would guide me, and your right hand would hold me.

11 And I say, “Surely darkness bruises me,” Then night [is] light to me.

When I said, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night [was] light in my luxury.

12 Also darkness does not hide from You, And night shines as day, As [is] darkness so [is] light.

For darkness will not be darkness with you; but night will be light as day: as its darkness, so shall its light [be to you].

13 For You have possessed my reins, You cover me in my mother’s belly.

For you, O Lord, have possessed my reins; you have helped me from my mother's womb.

14 I confess You, because I have been fearfully distinguished. Your works [are] wonderful, And my soul is knowing [it] well.

I will give you thanks; for you are fearfully wondrous; wondrous are your works; and my soul knows [it] well.

15 My substance was not hid from You, When I was made in secret, Curiously worked in the lower part of earth.

My bones, which you made in secret were not hidden from you, nor my substance, in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance, And all of them are written on Your scroll, The days they were formed—And not one among them.

Your eyes saw my unwrought [substance], and all [men] shall be written in your book; they shall be formed by day, though [there should for a time] be no one amongst them.

17 And how precious Your thoughts have been to me, O God, how great has been their sum!

But your friends, O God, have been greatly honoured by me; their rule has been greatly strengthened.

18 I recount them! They are more than the sand, I have awoken, and I am still with You.

I will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand; I awake, and am still with you.

19 Do You slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!

Oh that you would kill the wicked, O God; depart from me, you men of blood.

20 Who exchange You for wickedness, Your enemies [are] lifted up to vanity.

For you will say concerning [their] thought, [that] they shall take your cities in vain.

21 Do I not hate, YHWH, those hating You? And grieve myself with Your withstanders?

Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hate you? and wasted away because of your enemies?

22 I have hated them [with] perfect hatred, They have become enemies to me.

I have hated them with perfect hatred; they were counted my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts,

Prove me, O God, and know my heart; examine me, and know my paths;

24 And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a perpetual way!

and see if [there is any] way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.