Psalms 139
1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David. O Lord, thou hast tried me and knowen me.
To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets.
2 Thou knowest my sitting and my rising: thou vnderstandest my thought afarre off.
You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away.
3 Thou compassest my pathes, and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my wayes.
You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but loe, thou knowest it wholy, O Lord.
For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord.
5 Thou holdest mee straite behinde and before, and layest thine hand vpon me.
I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me.
6 Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee: it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it.
Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it.
7 Whither shall I goe from thy Spirite? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you?
If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there. (Sheol h7585)
9 Let mee take the winges of the morning, and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea:
If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea;
10 Yet thither shall thine hand leade me, and thy right hand holde me.
Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me.
11 If I say, Yet the darkenes shall hide me, euen the night shalbe light about me.
If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night;
12 Yea, the darkenes hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkenes and light are both alike.
Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you.
13 For thou hast possessed my reines: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe.
My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body.
14 I will praise thee, for I am fearefully and wonderously made: marueilous are thy workes, and my soule knoweth it well.
I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious.
15 My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and facioned beneath in the earth.
My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see me, when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written, which in continuance were facioned, when there was none of them before.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.
17 Howe deare therefore are thy thoughtes vnto me, O God! how great is ye summe of them!
How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them!
18 If I should count them, they are moe then the sand: when I wake, I am still with thee.
If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you.
19 Oh that thou wouldest slay, O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from mee:
If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood.
20 Which speake wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine.
For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name.
21 Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and doe not I earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee?
Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me?
22 I hate them with an vnfained hatred, as they were mine vtter enemies.
My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me.
23 Try mee, O God, and knowe mine heart: prooue me and know my thoughtes,
O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested:
24 And consider if there be any way of wickednes in me, and leade me in the way for euer.
See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.
