< Psalms 139 >
1 [For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.] LORD, you have searched me, and you know me.
For the end, a Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.
Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising: thou understandest my thoughts long before.
3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
Thou hast traced my path and my bed, and hast foreseen all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but, look, LORD, you know it altogether.
For there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things,
5 You encircle me behind and in front, and you place your hand upon me.
the last and the first: thou hast fashioned me, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 This knowledge is beyond me. It's lofty. I can't attain it.
The knowledge of thee is too wonderful for me; it is very difficult, I cannot [attain] to it.
7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither shall I flee from my presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, look, you are there. (Sheol )
If I should go up to heaven, thou art there: if I should go down to hell, thou art present. (Sheol )
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle 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 your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.
for even there thy hand would guide me, and thy right hand would hold me.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night;"
When I said, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night [was] light in my luxury.
12 even the darkness doesn't hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.
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 you formed my inmost being. You knit me together 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 give thanks to you, for I am awesomely and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows that very well.
I will give thee thanks; for thou art fearfully wondrous; wondrous are thy works; and my soul knows [it] well.
15 My frame wasn't hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths 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 Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.
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 How precious to me are your thoughts, God. How vast is the sum of them.
But thy friends, O God, have been greatly honoured by me; their rule has been greatly strengthened.
18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.
I will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand; I awake, and am still with thee.
19 If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men.
Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, ye men of blood.
20 For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.
For thou wilt say concerning [their] thought, [that] they shall take thy cities in vain.
21 LORD, do I not hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hate thee? and wasted away because of thine enemies?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.
I have hated them with perfect hatred; they were counted my enemies.
23 Search me, 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 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
and see if [there is any] way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.