Psalms 139
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
For the chief musician. A psalm of David. Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know me.
2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up rising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways.
You observe my path and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 For [there is] not a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
For before there is a word on my tongue, you know it completely, Yahweh.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
Behind me and before me you surround me and place your hand upon me.
6 [Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] to it.
Such knowledge is too much for me; it is too high, and I cannot reach it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
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 up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, 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 fly away on the wings of the morning and go to live in the uttermost parts across the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold on to me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
If I said, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light will become night around 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].
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.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
You formed my inner parts; you formed me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee: for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: wonderful [are] thy works; and [that] my soul well knoweth.
I will praise you, for I am wonderfully made. My soul knows this very 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 private, when I was intricately made 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.
You saw me inside the womb; all the days assigned to me were recorded in your book even before the first one happened.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
How precious are your thoughts to me, God! How vast is their sum!
18 [If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
If I tried to count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I 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 kill the wicked, God; get away from me, you violent men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thy enemies take [thy name] in vain.
They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.
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, Yahweh, who hate you? Do I not despise those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.
I hate them completely; they have become my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts:
Examine me, God, and 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.
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
