Psalms 139
1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me.
For the chief musician. A psalm of David. Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know me.
2 You have known my sitting down and my rising up again.
You know when I sit down and when I get up; you understand my thoughts from far away.
3 You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated.
You observe my path and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue.
For before there is a word on my tongue, you know it completely, Yahweh.
5 Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.
Behind me and before me you surround me and place your hand upon me.
6 Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.
Such knowledge is too much for me; it is too high, and I cannot reach it.
7 Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face?
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
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 assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost 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, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me.
even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold on to me.
11 And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.
If I said, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light will become night around me,”
12 But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its 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 you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother.
You formed my inner parts; you formed me in my mother's womb.
14 I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well.
I will praise you, for I am wonderfully made. My soul knows this very well.
15 My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower 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 Your eyes saw my imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in 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 But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened.
How precious are your thoughts to me, God! How vast is their sum!
18 I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you.
If I tried to count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
19 O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me.
If only you would kill the wicked, God; get away from me, you violent men.
20 For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain.
They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies tell lies.
21 Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies?
Do I not hate those, Yahweh, who hate you? Do I not despise those who rise up against you?
22 I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me.
I hate them completely; they have become my enemies.
23 Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question me, and know my paths.
Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24 And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity.
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
