Psalms 139

1 For the end, a Psalm of David. O Lord, you have proved me, and known me.

O YHWH, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 You know my down-sitting and mine up-rising: you understand my thoughts long before.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 You have traced my path and my bed, and have foreseen all my ways.

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

4 For there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, you have known all things,

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O YHWH, thou knowest it altogether.

5 the last and the first: you have fashioned me, and laid your hand upon me.

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

6 The knowledge of you is too wonderful for me; it is very difficult, I can’t [attain] to it.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from your Spirit? and whither shall I flee from my presence?

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

8 If I should go up to heaven, you are there: if I should go down to hell, you are present. (Sheol h7585)

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

9 If I should spread my wings [to fly] straight forward, and sojourn at the extremity of the sea, [it would be vain],

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

10 for even there your hand would guide me, and your right hand would hold me.

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

11 When I said, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night [was] light in my luxury.

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

12 For darkness will not be darkness with you; but night will be light as day: as its darkness, so shall its light [be to you].

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

13 For you, O Lord, have possessed my reins; you have helped me from my mother's womb.

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

14 I will give you thanks; for you are fearfully wondrous; wondrous are your works; and my soul knows [it] well.

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

15 My bones, which you made in secret were not hidden from you, nor my substance, in the lowest parts of the earth.

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

16 Your eyes saw my unwrought [substance], and all [men] shall be written in your book; they shall be formed by day, though [there should for a time] be no one among them.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 But your friends, O God, have been greatly honored by me; their rule has been greatly strengthened.

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

18 I will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand; I awake, and 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 Oh that you would kill the wicked, O God; depart from me, you men of blood.

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

20 For you will say concerning [their] thought, [that] they shall take your cities in vain.

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

21 Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hate you? and wasted away because of your enemies?

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

22 I have hated them with perfect hatred; they were counted my enemies.

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

23 Prove me, O God, and know my heart; examine me, and know my paths;

Search me, O El, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 and see if [there is any] way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.