< Psalms 139 >
1 [For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.] YHWH, you have searched me, and you know me.
To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Jehovah, thou hast searched 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 uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off;
3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways;
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but, look, YHWH, you know it altogether.
For there is not yet a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
5 You encircle me behind and in front, and you place your hand upon me.
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
6 This knowledge is beyond me. It's lofty. I can't attain it.
O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot [attain] unto 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 flee from thy 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 ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou [art there]; (Sheol )
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea;
[If] I take the wings of the dawn [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night;"
And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night;
12 even the darkness doesn't hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.
Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light.
13 For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb.
For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in 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 praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right 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 were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower 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 did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all [my members] were written; [during many] days were they fashioned, when [as yet] there was none of them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God. How vast is the sum of them.
But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.
[If] I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I 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! And ye men of blood, depart from me.
20 For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.
For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.
21 YHWH, do I not hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.
I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts;
24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.