< Psalms 139 >

1 Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know [everything about] me.
For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O Lord, you search and know 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.
when I sit, when I rise you know it, you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 When I travel and when I lie down, you know everything that I do.
When I walk, when I lie you sift it, familiar with all my ways.
4 Yahweh, even before I say [MTY] anything, you know everything that I am going to say!
There is not a word on my tongue, but see! Lord, you know it all.
5 You protect me on all sides; you put your hand on me [to protect me with your power] [MTY].
Behind and before you beset me, upon me you lay your hand.
6 I am not able to understand that you know [everything about me]. That is too great for me to really understand.
It’s too wonderful for me to know too lofty I cannot attain 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 your spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your face?
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 climb up to heaven, you are there: or make Sheol my bed, you are 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 lift up the wings of the morning and fly to the end of the sea,
10 you would be there also, to lead me by your hand, and you would help me.
there also your hand would grasp me, and your right hand take hold of me.
11 I could request the darkness to hide me, or I could request the light around me to become darkness,
If I say, “Let the darkness cover me, and night be the light about me,”
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).
The dark is not dark for you, but night is as light as the day.
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 you did put me together; in my mother’s womb you did weave me.
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 give you praise for my fashioning so full of awe, so wonderful. Your works are wonderful. You knew me 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 bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and woven in the depths 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!
Your eyes saw all my days: they stood on your book every one written down, before they were fashioned, while none of them yet was mine.
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.
But how far, O God, beyond measure are your thoughts! How mighty their sum!
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].
Should I count, they are more than the sand. When I wake, I am still with you.
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.
Will you slay the wicked, O God? And remove from me the bloodthirsty,
20 They say wicked/malicious things about you; they slander your name.
who maliciously defy you and take your name in vain.
21 Yahweh, I certainly [RHQ] hate those who hate you! And I despise [RHQ] those who rebel against you.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord? Do I not loathe those who resist you?
22 I hate them completely, and I consider that they are my enemies.
With perfect hatred I hate them, I count them my enemies.
23 God, search my inner being; find out what I am thinking!
Search me, O God, know my heart: test 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 guile be in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.

< Psalms 139 >