Psalms 139
1 For the chief musician. A psalm of David. Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know me.
Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me:
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.
Thou hast know my sitting down, and my rising up.
3 You observe my path and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out.
4 For before there is a word on my tongue, you know it completely, Yahweh.
And thou hast foreseen all my ways: for there is no speech in my tongue.
5 Behind me and before me you surround me and place your hand upon me.
Behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things, the last and those of old: thou hast formed me, and hast laid thy hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too much for me; it is too high, and I cannot reach it.
Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me: it is high, and I cannot reach to it.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy face?
8 If I ascend up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there. (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I descend into hell, thou art present. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I fly away on the wings of the morning and go to live in the uttermost parts across the sea,
If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:
10 even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold on to me.
Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I said, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light will become night around me,”
And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
12 even the darkness would not be dark to you. The night would shine like the day, for the darkness and the light are both alike to you.
But darkness shall not be dark to thee, and night shall be light as day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to thee.
13 You formed my inner parts; you formed me in my mother's womb.
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast protected me from my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise you, for I am wonderfully made. My soul knows this very well.
I will praise thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: wonderful are thy works, and my soul knoweth right well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in private, when I was intricately made in the depths of the earth.
My bone is not hidden from thee, which thou hast made in secret: and my substance in the lower parts of the earth.
16 You saw me inside the womb; all the days assigned to me were recorded in your book even before the first one happened.
Thy eyes did see my imperfect being, and in thy book all shall be written: days shall be formed, and no one in them.
17 How precious are your thoughts to me, God! How vast is their sum!
But to me thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
18 If I tried to count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
I will number them, and they shall be multiplied above the sand: I rose up and am still with thee.
19 If only you would kill the wicked, God; get away from me, you violent men.
If thou wilt kill the wicked, O God: ye men of blood, depart from me:
20 They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.
Because you say in thought: They shall receive thy cities in vain.
21 Do I not hate those, Yahweh, who hate you? Do I not despise those who rise up against you?
Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated thee: and pine away because of thy enemies?
22 I hate them completely; they have become my enemies.
I have hated them with a perfect hatred: and they are become enemies to me.
23 Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.
24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way.
