Psalms 139
1 To the Overseer. — A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest.
For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O Lord, you search and know me;
2 Thou — Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.
when I sit, when I rise you know it, you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 My path and my couch Thou hast fanned, And [with] all my ways hast been acquainted.
When I walk, when I lie you sift it, familiar with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!
There is not a word on my tongue, but see! Lord, you know it all.
5 Behind and before Thou hast besieged me, And Thou dost place on me Thy hand.
Behind and before you beset me, upon me you lay your hand.
6 Knowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it.
It’s too wonderful for me to know too lofty I cannot attain it.
7 Whither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee?
Whither shall I go from your spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your face?
8 If I ascend the heavens — there Thou [art], And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee! (Sheol h7585)
If I climb up to heaven, you are there: or make Sheol my bed, you are there. (Sheol h7585)
9 I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,
If I lift up the wings of the morning and fly to the end of the sea,
10 Also there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me.
there also your hand would grasp me, and your right hand take hold of me.
11 And I say, 'Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night [is] light to me.
If I say, “Let the darkness cover me, and night be the light about me,”
12 Also darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as [is] darkness so [is] light.
The dark is not dark for you, but night is as light as the day.
13 For Thou — Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly.
For you did put me together; in my mother’s womb you did weave me.
14 I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] well.
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, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth.
my bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and woven in the depths 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.
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 And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum!
But how far, O God, beyond measure are your thoughts! How mighty their sum!
18 I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee.
Should I count, they are more than the sand. When I wake, I am still with you.
19 Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!
Will you slay the wicked, O God? And remove from me the bloodthirsty,
20 Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies.
who maliciously defy you and take your name in vain.
21 Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself?
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord? Do I not loathe those who resist you?
22 [With] perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.
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 a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!
and see if guile be in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
