Psalms 139
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away.
3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain to it.
Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it.
7 Where shall I go from thy spirit? or where shall I flee from thy presence?
Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you?
8 If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night;
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul well knoweth
I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and skilfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thy eyes saw my substance, not yet formed; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thy enemies take thy name in vain.
For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.
My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested:
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.
