Psalms 139

1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. 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 downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou, hast observed my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast given heed to my desire, from afar:

3 Thou searchest out 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 there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, 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 hast beset me behind and before, and laid 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 unto it.

Knowledge, too wonderful, for me! high, I cannot attain to it!

7 Whither shall I from thy spirit? or 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 up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, 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 uttermost 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 overwhelm me, and the light about me shall be night;

If I say, Surely, darkness, shall cover me! then, night, is light about 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 darkness, will not conceal from thee, —but, night, like day, will shine, So is the darkness, as the light!

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered 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 give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right 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, and curiously wrought in the lowest 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 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.

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 also are thy thoughts unto me, 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 are more in number than 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 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.

Wilt thou not, O GOD, slay the lawless one? Therefore, ye men of bloodshed, depart from me!

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.

For they speak of thee wickedly, Thy foes lift up [their hand] unto falsehood.

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, them who hate thee, O Yahweh? And loathe, them who rise up against thee?

22 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 there be any way of wickedness in 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.