Psalms 139
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O Lord, you search and know me;
2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up rising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
when I sit, when I rise you know it, you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways.
When I walk, when I lie you sift it, familiar with all my ways.
4 For [there is] not a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
There is not a word on my tongue, but see! Lord, you know it all.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
Behind and before you beset me, upon me you lay your hand.
6 [Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] to it.
It’s too wonderful for me to know too lofty I cannot attain it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Whither shall I go from your spirit? Or whither shall 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 climb up to heaven, you are there: or make Sheol my bed, 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 lift up the wings of the morning and fly to the end of the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
there also your hand would grasp me, and your right hand take hold of me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
If I say, ‘Let the darkness cover me, and night be the light about me,’
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].
The dark is not dark for you, but night is as light as the day.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
For you did put me together; in my mother’s womb you did weave me.
14 I will praise thee: for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: wonderful [are] thy works; and [that] my soul well knoweth.
I give you praise for my fashioning so full of awe, so wonderful. Your works are wonderful. You knew me right 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 bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and woven in the depths 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 all my days: they stood on your book every one written down, before they were fashioned, while none of them yet was mine.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
But how far, O God, beyond measure are your thoughts! How mighty their sum!
18 [If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
Should I count, they are more than the sand. When I wake, I am still with you.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
Will you slay the wicked, O God? And remove from me the bloodthirsty,
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thy enemies take [thy name] in vain.
who maliciously defy you and take your name 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?
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord? Do I not loathe those who resist you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.
With perfect hatred I hate them, I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts:
Search me, O God, know my heart: test me, and know my thoughts,
24 And see if [there is any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
and see if guile be in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
