< Psalms 139 >
1 To the Overseer. — A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest.
To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
2 Thou — Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.
Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off;
3 My path and my couch Thou hast fanned, And [with] all my ways hast been acquainted.
Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways;
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!
For there is not yet a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Behind and before Thou hast besieged me, And Thou dost place on me Thy hand.
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
6 Knowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it.
O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.
7 Whither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee?
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend the heavens — there Thou [art], And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee! (Sheol )
If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou [art there]; (Sheol )
9 I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,
[If] I take the wings of the dawn [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Also there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me.
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 And I say, 'Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night [is] light to me.
And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night;
12 Also darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as [is] darkness so [is] light.
Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light.
13 For Thou — Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly.
For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother's womb.
14 I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] well.
I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth.
My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth.
16 Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed — And not one among them.
Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all [my members] were written; [during many] days were they fashioned, when [as yet] there was none of them.
17 And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum!
But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee.
[If] I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee.
19 Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!
Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God! And ye men of blood, depart from me.
20 Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies.
For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.
21 Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself?
Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee?
22 [With] perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.
I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts,
Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts;
24 And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!
And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.