Psalms 139

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

Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me.

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

You have known my sitting down and my rising up again.

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

You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated.

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

And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue.

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

Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.

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

Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.

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

Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face?

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

If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I descend into Hell, you are near. (Sheol h7585)

9 I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,

If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea,

10 Also there Your hand leads me, And Your right hand holds me.

even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me.

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

And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.

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

But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light.

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

For you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother.

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

I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well.

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

My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower 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 imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them.

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

But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly 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 will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you.

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

O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me.

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

For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain.

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

Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, 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 a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me.

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

Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question 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 might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity.