Psalms 139
1 “For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” O LORD! thou hast searched me and known me!
To the Chief Musician, David’s. A Melody. O Yahweh! thou hast searched me, and observed:
2 Thou knowest my sitting-down and my rising-up; Thou understandest my thoughts from afar!
Thou, hast observed my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast given heed to my desire, from afar:
3 Thou seest my path and my lying-down, And art acquainted with all my ways!
My path and my couch, hast thou examined, and, all my ways, thou well knowest.
4 For before the word is upon my tongue, Behold, O LORD! thou knowest it altogether!
Surely there hath not been a word on my tongue, [but] behold! O Yahweh, thou hast observed it on every side.
5 Thou besettest me behind and before, And layest thine hand upon me!
Behind and before, hast thou shut me in, and hast laid upon me thy hand: —
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain to it!
Knowledge, too wonderful, for me! high, I cannot attain to it!
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit, And whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither can I go from thy spirit? or whither, from thy face, can I flee?
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 ascend the heavens, there, thou art! If I spread out hades as my couch, behold thee! (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the remotest parts of the sea,
If I mount the wings of the dawn, settle down in the region beyond the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me!
Even there, thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me;” Even the night shall be light about me.
If I say, Surely, darkness, shall cover me! then, night, is light about me.
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!
Even darkness, will not conceal from thee, —but, night, like day, will shine, So is the darkness, as the light!
13 For thou didst form my reins; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb.
For, thou, didst possess thyself of my reins, thou didst weave me together in the womb of my mother.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are thy works, And this my soul knoweth full well!
I thank thee, in that fearfully was my being distinguished, Wonderful are thy works, and, mine own soul, is observing [them] intently!
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 substance was not hid from thee, —when I was made in secret, when I was skilfully figured in the lower 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.
Mine unfinished substance, thine eyes beheld, and, in thy book, all the parts thereof were written, —the days they should be fashioned! while yet there was not one among them.
17 How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God! How great is the sum of them!
To me, then, how precious have thy desires become, O GOD! How numerous, the heads of them!
18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee!
I would recount them! Beyond the sands, they multiply, I rouse myself—and am still with thee.
19 O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God! Ye men of blood, depart from me!
Wilt thou not, O GOD, slay the lawless one? Therefore, ye men of bloodshed, depart from me!
20 For they speak against thee wickedly; Thine enemies utter thy name for falsehood.
For they speak of thee wickedly, Thy foes lift up [their hand] unto falsehood.
21 Do I not hate them that hate thee, O LORD? Do I not abhor them that rise up against thee?
Do I not hate, them who hate thee, O Yahweh? And loathe, them who rise up against thee?
22 Yea, I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them mine enemies.
With completeness of hatred, I hate them, As enemies, have they become to me.
23 Search me, O God! and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts;
Search me, O GOD, and observe my heart, Try me, and observe my cares;
24 And see if the way of trouble be within me, And lead me in the way everlasting!
And see if there be any idol-way in me, and lead me in a way age-abiding.
