Psalms 139

1 Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know [everything about] me.

For the Leader. A Psalm of David. O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up. [Even though you are] far away from me, you know what I am thinking.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 When I travel and when I lie down, you know everything that I do.

Thou measurest my going about and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 Yahweh, even before I say [MTY] anything, you know everything that I am going to say!

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.

5 You protect me on all sides; you put your hand on me [to protect me with your power] [MTY].

Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.

6 I am not able to understand that you know [everything about me]. That is too great for me to really understand.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 (Where could I go to escape from your Spirit?/I could not go anywhere to escape from your Spirit.) [RHQ] (Where could I go to get away from you?/I could not go anywhere to get away from you.) [RHQ]

Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?

8 If I went up to heaven, you would be there. If I lay down in the place where the dead people are, you would be there. (Sheol h7585)

If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in the nether-world, behold, Thou art there. (Sheol h7585)

9 If I had wings and flew very far east [MTY], or if I flew west and made a place to live [on an island] in the ocean,

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 you would be there also, to lead me by your hand, and you would help me.

Even there would Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand would hold me.

11 I could request the darkness to hide me, or I could request the light around me to become darkness,

And if I say: 'Surely the darkness shall envelop me, and the light about me shall be night';

12 but even [if that happened], the darkness would not be darkness for you! For you, the night is [as bright] as the daytime is, because for you, daylight and darkness are (not different/the same).

Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness is even as the light.

13 You created [all] the parts of my body; you put [the parts of] my body together when I was still in my mother’s womb.

For Thou hast made my reins; Thou hast knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because you made my [body in a very] awesome and wonderful way. Everything that you do is amazing! I know that very well.

I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 When my body was being formed, while it was being put together where no one else could see it, you saw it!

My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 You saw me before I was born. You wrote in your book the number of days that you had decided that I would live. You did that before any of those days had [even] started!

Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written — even the days that were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 God, what you think about me is very precious (OR, is very hard to understand). There is a great number of things that you think about.

How weighty also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

18 If I could count them, [I would see that] they are more than the grains of sand [at the seashore]. And when I wake up, I am still with you [and I know that there are still more of your thoughts about me to count].

If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand; were I to come to the end of them, I would still be with Thee.

19 God, I desire that you would kill all the wicked people! And I wish that violent [MTY] men would (leave/go away from) me.

If Thou but wouldest slay the wicked, O God — depart from me therefore, ye men of blood;

20 They say wicked/malicious things about you; they slander your name.

Who utter Thy name with wicked thought, they take it for falsehood, even Thine enemies —

21 Yahweh, I certainly [RHQ] hate those who hate you! And I despise [RHQ] those who rebel against you.

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? And do not I strive with those that rise up against Thee?

22 I hate them completely, and I consider that they are my enemies.

I hate them with utmost hatred; I count them mine enemies.

23 God, search my inner being; find out what I am thinking!

Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts;

24 Find out whether there is anything evil in my [inner being], and lead me along the road [that leads to my being with you] forever.

And see if there be any way in me that is grievous, and lead me in the way everlasting.