Psalms 139

1 For the music director. A psalm of David. Lord, you have examined me from the inside out—you know everything about me!

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me].

2 You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know what I'm thinking even when I'm a long way away.

Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up rising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 You observe where I go and when I rest. You're familiar with everything I do.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways.

4 Lord, you even know what I'm going to say before I say it.

For [there is] not a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 You're always there—behind me, in front of me, and all around me. You place your caring hand on me.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.

6 This amazing knowledge you have is far beyond me, way beyond my understanding!

[Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] to it.

7 Where can I go that you're not already there? Where can I run to escape your presence?

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I lie down in Sheol, look—you are there too! (Sheol h7585)

If I ascend into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there]. (Sheol h7585)

9 If I were to fly away on wings of the dawn to the east; if I were to live on the far western shore of the sea,

[If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 even there your hand would lead me, your right hand would support me.

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I asked the darkness to hide me, and light to become night around me,

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Even darkness would not be dark for you, and the night would be bright as day, for darkness is like light to you.

Yes, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to thee].

13 You made me from the inside out, shaping me in my mother's womb.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you for making me in such an awesome and wonderful way. What you do is incredible—I realize this completely!

I will praise thee: for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: wonderful [are] thy works; and [that] my soul well knoweth.

15 My growing body was not hidden from you as I was formed in secret, as I was intricately put together “in the depths of the earth.”

My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, [and] curiously formed in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 You saw me as an embryo, and in your book all my days were written down—the days that were made for me before any of them existed.

Thy eyes saw my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.

17 God, your thoughts are so valuable to me! Taken together, they can't be counted!

How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I tried to count them, they would be more than every grain of sand. Yet when I awake I am still with you.

[If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 God, if you would only kill the wicked! Murderers, get away from me!

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 When they speak of you they're being deceptively evil. Since they are your enemies, they call on you in vain.

For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thy enemies take [thy name] in vain.

21 Lord, don't I hate those who hate you? I despise those who rebel against you!

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with absolute hatred—they have become my enemies!

I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.

23 Examine me carefully, God, so you can be sure of my true feelings. Check me out so you can know what I really think.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts:

24 Please show me if I'm following any kind of idol, and lead me along the path of eternal life.

And see if [there is any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.