Psalms 139
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me:
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou hast know my sitting down, and my rising up.
3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
And thou hast foreseen all my ways: for there is no speech in my tongue.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy 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 wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain to it.
Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me: it is high, and I cannot reach to it.
7 Where shall I go from thy spirit? or where shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy face?
8 If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I descend into hell, thou art present. (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
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.
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 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered 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 thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul well knoweth
I will praise thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: wonderful are thy works, and my soul knoweth right well.
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 bone is not hidden from thee, which thou hast made in secret: and my substance in the lower 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.
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 also are thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
But to me thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
I will number them, and they shall be multiplied above the sand: I rose up and am still with thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
If thou wilt kill the wicked, O God: ye men of blood, depart from me:
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thy enemies take thy name in vain.
Because you say in thought: They shall receive thy cities in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated thee: and pine away because of thy enemies?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.
I have hated them with a perfect hatred: and they are become enemies to me.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way.
