Psalms 139
1 To the Overseer. — A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest.
For the chief musician. A psalm of David. Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know me.
2 Thou — Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.
You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.
3 My path and my couch Thou hast fanned, And [with] all my ways hast been acquainted.
You observe my path and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!
For before there is a word on my tongue, you know it completely, Yahweh.
5 Behind and before Thou hast besieged me, And Thou dost place on me Thy hand.
Behind me and before me you surround me and place your hand upon me.
6 Knowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it.
Such knowledge is too much for me; it is too high, and I cannot reach it.
7 Whither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee?
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend the heavens — there Thou [art], And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee! (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 I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part 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 Also there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me.
even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold on to me.
11 And I say, 'Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night [is] light to me.
If I said, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light will become night around me,”
12 Also darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as [is] darkness so [is] light.
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 — Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly.
You formed my inner parts; you formed 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 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, Curiously wrought in the lower part of 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 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.
You saw me inside the womb; all the days assigned to me were recorded in your book even before the first one happened.
17 And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum!
How precious are your thoughts to me, God! How vast is their sum!
18 I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and 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 Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!
If only you would kill the wicked, God; get away from me, you violent men.
20 Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies.
They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.
21 Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself?
Do I not hate those, Yahweh, who hate you? Do I not despise those who rise up against you?
22 [With] perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.
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 a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
