Psalms 139

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

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

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

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

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

You have traced my path and my bed, and have foreseen 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 no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, you have known all things,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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].

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

For you, O Lord, have possessed my reins; you have helped me from 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 give you thanks; for you are fearfully wondrous; wondrous are your works; and my soul knows [it] 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, which you made in secret were not hidden from you, nor my substance, in the lowest 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.

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.

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

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

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

I will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand; I awake, and am still with you.

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

Oh that you would kill the wicked, O God; depart from me, you men of blood.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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