Psalms 139

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me].

Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me.

2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up rising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

You have known my sitting down and my rising up again.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways.

You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated.

4 For [there is] not a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.

Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.

6 [Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] to it.

Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your 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, you are there. If I descend into Hell, you are near. (Sheol h7585)

9 [If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea,

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will 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 will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.

12 Yes, 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 will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

For you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother.

14 I will praise thee: for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: wonderful [are] thy works; and [that] my soul well knoweth.

I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, [and] curiously formed in the lowest parts of the earth.

My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth.

16 Thy eyes saw my substance, yet being imperfect; 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 imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been 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 will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thy enemies take [thy name] in vain.

For you say in thought: They will accept your 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 those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.

I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts:

Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question 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 might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity.