< Psalms 139 >

1 For the chief musician. A psalm of David. Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know me.
To the Overseer. — A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.
Thou — Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.
3 You observe my path and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
My path and my couch Thou hast fanned, And [with] all my ways hast been acquainted.
4 For before there is a word on my tongue, you know it completely, Yahweh.
For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!
5 Behind me and before me you surround me and place your hand upon me.
Behind and before Thou hast besieged me, And Thou dost place on me Thy hand.
6 Such knowledge is too much for me; it is too high, and I cannot reach it.
Knowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Whither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee?
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 the heavens — there Thou [art], And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee! (Sheol h7585)
9 If I fly away on the wings of the morning and go to live in the uttermost parts across the sea,
I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,
10 even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold on to me.
Also there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me.
11 If I said, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light will become night around me,”
And I say, 'Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night [is] light to me.
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.
Also darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as [is] darkness so [is] light.
13 You formed my inner parts; you formed me in my mother's womb.
For Thou — Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly.
14 I will praise you, for I am wonderfully made. My soul knows this very well.
I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] 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 substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of 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.
Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed — And not one among them.
17 How precious are your thoughts to me, God! How vast is their sum!
And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum!
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 recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee.
19 If only you would kill the wicked, God; get away from me, you violent men.
Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!
20 They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.
Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies.
21 Do I not hate those, Yahweh, who hate you? Do I not despise those who rise up against you?
Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself?
22 I hate them completely; they have become my enemies.
[With] perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.
23 Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts,
24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!

< Psalms 139 >