Psalms 139
1 “For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” O LORD! thou hast searched me and known me!
For the end, a Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my sitting-down and my rising-up; Thou understandest my thoughts from afar!
Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising: thou understandest my thoughts long before.
3 Thou seest my path and my lying-down, And art acquainted with all my ways!
Thou hast traced my path and my bed, and hast foreseen all my ways.
4 For before the word is upon my tongue, Behold, O LORD! thou knowest it altogether!
For there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things,
5 Thou besettest me behind and before, And layest thine hand upon me!
the last and the first: thou hast fashioned me, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain to it!
The knowledge of thee is too wonderful for me; it is very difficult, I cannot [attain] to it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit, And whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither shall I flee from my presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in the underworld, behold, thou art there! (Sheol h7585)
If I should go up to heaven, thou art there: if I should go down to hell, thou art present. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the remotest 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 shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me!
for even there thy hand would guide me, and thy right hand would hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me;” Even the night shall be light about me.
When I said, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night [was] light in my luxury.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee, But the night shineth as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to thee!
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 thou didst form my reins; Thou didst weave me 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 praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are thy works, And this my soul knoweth full well!
I will give thee thanks; for thou art fearfully wondrous; wondrous are thy works; and my soul knows [it] well.
15 My frame was not hidden from thee, When I was made in secret. When I was curiously wrought in the lower parts 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 Thine eyes did see my substance, while yet unformed, And in thy book was every thing written; My days were appointed before one of them existed.
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 thy thoughts, O God! How great 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 should count them, they would outnumber the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee!
I will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand; I awake, and am still with thee.
19 O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God! Ye men of blood, depart from me!
Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, ye men of blood.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly; Thine enemies utter thy name for falsehood.
For thou wilt say concerning [their] thought, [that] they shall take thy cities in vain.
21 Do I not hate them that hate thee, O LORD? Do I not abhor them that rise up against thee?
Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hate thee? and wasted away because of thine enemies?
22 Yea, I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them mine enemies.
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 the way of trouble be within me, And lead me in the way everlasting!
and see if [there is any] way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.
