Psalms 139

1 To the Chief Musician, David’s. A Melody. O Yahweh! thou hast searched me, and observed:

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

2 Thou, hast observed my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast given heed to my desire, from afar:

Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off;

3 My path and my couch, hast thou examined, and, all my ways, thou well knowest.

Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways;

4 Surely there hath not been a word on my tongue, [but] behold! O Yahweh, thou hast observed it on every side.

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

5 Behind and before, hast thou shut me in, and hast laid upon me thy hand: —

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

6 Knowledge, too wonderful, for me! high, I cannot attain to it!

O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.

7 Whither can I go from thy spirit? or whither, from thy face, can I flee?

Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend the heavens, there, thou art! If I spread out hades as my couch, behold thee! (Sheol h7585)

If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou [art there]; (Sheol h7585)

9 If I mount the wings of the dawn, settle down in the region beyond the sea,

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

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

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

11 If I say, Surely, darkness, shall cover me! then, night, is light about me.

And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night;

12 Even darkness, will not conceal from thee, —but, night, like day, will shine, So is the darkness, as the light!

Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light.

13 For, thou, didst possess thyself of my reins, thou didst weave me together in the womb of my mother.

For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother's womb.

14 I thank thee, in that fearfully was my being distinguished, Wonderful are thy works, and, mine own soul, is observing [them] intently!

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

15 My substance was not hid from thee, —when I was made in secret, when I was skilfully figured in the lower parts of the earth.

My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth.

16 Mine unfinished substance, thine eyes beheld, and, in thy book, all the parts thereof were written, —the days they should be fashioned! while yet there was not one among them.

Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all [my members] were written; [during many] days were they fashioned, when [as yet] there was none of them.

17 To me, then, how precious have thy desires become, O GOD! How numerous, the heads of them!

But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 I would recount them! Beyond the sands, they multiply, I rouse myself—and am still with thee.

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

19 Wilt thou not, O GOD, slay the lawless one? Therefore, ye men of bloodshed, depart from me!

Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God! And ye men of blood, depart from me.

20 For they speak of thee wickedly, Thy foes lift up [their hand] unto falsehood.

For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.

21 Do I not hate, them who hate thee, O Yahweh? And loathe, them who rise up against thee?

Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee?

22 With completeness of hatred, I hate them, As enemies, have they become to me.

I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O GOD, and observe my heart, Try me, and observe my cares;

Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts;

24 And see if there be any idol-way in me, and lead me in a way age-abiding.

And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.