Psalms 139
1 To the Chief Musician, David’s. A Melody. O Yahweh! thou hast searched me, and observed:
“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” O LORD! thou hast searched me and known me!
2 Thou, hast observed my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast given heed to my desire, from afar:
Thou knowest my sitting-down and my rising-up; Thou understandest my thoughts from afar!
3 My path and my couch, hast thou examined, and, all my ways, thou well knowest.
Thou seest my path and my lying-down, And art acquainted with all my ways!
4 Surely there hath not been a word on my tongue, [but] behold! O Yahweh, thou hast observed it on every side.
For before the word is upon my tongue, Behold, O LORD! thou knowest it altogether!
5 Behind and before, hast thou shut me in, and hast laid upon me thy hand: —
Thou besettest me behind and before, And layest thine hand upon me!
6 Knowledge, too wonderful, for me! high, I cannot attain to it!
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain to it!
7 Whither can I go from thy spirit? or whither, from thy face, can I flee?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit, And whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend the heavens, there, thou art! If I spread out hades as my couch, behold thee! (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend into heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in the underworld, behold, thou art there! (Sheol h7585)
9 If I mount the wings of the dawn, settle down in the region beyond the sea,
If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the remotest parts of the sea,
10 Even there, thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me!
11 If I say, Surely, darkness, shall cover me! then, night, is light about me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me;” Even the night shall be light about me.
12 Even darkness, will not conceal from thee, —but, night, like day, will shine, So is the darkness, as the light!
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee, But the night shineth as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to thee!
13 For, thou, didst possess thyself of my reins, thou didst weave me together in the womb of my mother.
For thou didst form my reins; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb.
14 I thank thee, in that fearfully was my being distinguished, Wonderful are thy works, and, mine own soul, is observing [them] intently!
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are thy works, And this my soul knoweth full well!
15 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.
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.
16 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.
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.
17 To me, then, how precious have thy desires become, O GOD! How numerous, the heads of them!
How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God! How great is the sum of them!
18 I would recount them! Beyond the sands, they multiply, I rouse myself—and am still with thee.
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee!
19 Wilt thou not, O GOD, slay the lawless one? Therefore, ye men of bloodshed, depart from me!
O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God! Ye men of blood, depart from me!
20 For they speak of thee wickedly, Thy foes lift up [their hand] unto falsehood.
For they speak against thee wickedly; Thine enemies utter thy name for falsehood.
21 Do I not hate, them who hate thee, O Yahweh? And loathe, them who rise up against thee?
Do I not hate them that hate thee, O LORD? Do I not abhor them that rise up against thee?
22 With completeness of hatred, I hate them, As enemies, have they become to me.
Yea, I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O GOD, and observe my heart, Try me, and observe my cares;
Search me, O God! and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts;
24 And see if there be any idol-way in me, and lead me in a way age-abiding.
And see if the way of trouble be within me, And lead me in the way everlasting!
