Psalms 139
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.
6 [Such] knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Whither shall I from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, and the light about me shall be night;
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”—
12 Even the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike [to thee].
even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see mine unperfect substance, and in thy book were all [my members] written, which day by day were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God, how vast is their sum!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; and when I awake, I am still with You.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.
O God, that You would slay the wicked— away from me, you bloodthirsty men—
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.
who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.
24 And see if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.
