Psalms 139
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. LORD, you have searched me, and you know me.
To the Chief Musician, David’s. A Melody. O Yahweh! thou hast searched me, and observed:
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.
Thou, hast observed my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast given heed to my desire, from afar:
3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
My path and my couch, hast thou examined, and, all my ways, thou well knowest.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, LORD, you know it altogether.
Surely there hath not been a word on my tongue, [but] behold! O Yahweh, thou hast observed it on every side.
5 You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me.
Behind and before, hast thou shut me in, and hast laid upon me thy hand: —
6 This knowledge is beyond me. It’s lofty. I can’t attain it.
Knowledge, too wonderful, for me! high, I cannot attain to it!
7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
Whither can I go from thy spirit? or whither, from thy face, can I flee?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! (Sheol h7585)
If I ascend the heavens, there, thou art! If I spread out hades as my couch, behold thee! (Sheol h7585)
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea,
If I mount the wings of the dawn, settle down in the region beyond the sea,
10 even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.
Even there, thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”
If I say, Surely, darkness, shall cover me! then, night, is light about me.
12 even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.
Even darkness, will not conceal from thee, —but, night, like day, will shine, So is the darkness, as the light!
13 For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
For, thou, didst possess thyself of my reins, thou didst weave me together in the womb of my mother.
14 I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.
I thank thee, in that fearfully was my being distinguished, Wonderful are thy works, and, mine own soul, is observing [them] intently!
15 My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth.
My substance was not hid from thee, —when I was made in secret, when I was skilfully figured in the lower parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Mine unfinished substance, thine eyes beheld, and, in thy book, all the parts thereof were written, —the days they should be fashioned! while yet there was not one among them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum!
To me, then, how precious have thy desires become, O GOD! How numerous, the heads of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.
I would recount them! Beyond the sands, they multiply, I rouse myself—and am still with thee.
19 If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
Wilt thou not, O GOD, slay the lawless one? Therefore, ye men of bloodshed, depart from me!
20 For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.
For they speak of thee wickedly, Thy foes lift up [their hand] unto falsehood.
21 LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
Do I not hate, them who hate thee, O Yahweh? And loathe, them who rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.
With completeness of hatred, I hate them, As enemies, have they become to me.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.
Search me, O GOD, and observe my heart, Try me, and observe my cares;
24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
And see if there be any idol-way in me, and lead me in a way age-abiding.
