Psalms 139

1 Yahweh, you have examined me, and you know [everything about] me.

Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me.

2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up. [Even though you are] far away from me, you know what I am thinking.

You have known my sitting down and my rising up again.

3 When I travel and when I lie down, you know everything that I do.

You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated.

4 Yahweh, even before I say [MTY] anything, you know everything that I am going to say!

And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue.

5 You protect me on all sides; you put your hand on me [to protect me with your power] [MTY].

Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.

6 I am not able to understand that you know [everything about me]. That is too great for me to really understand.

Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.

7 (Where could I go to escape from your Spirit?/I could not go anywhere to escape from your Spirit.) [RHQ] (Where could I go to get away from you?/I could not go anywhere to get away from you.) [RHQ]

Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face?

8 If I went up to heaven, you would be there. If I lay down in the place where the dead people are, you would be there. (Sheol h7585)

If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I descend into Hell, you are near. (Sheol h7585)

9 If I had wings and flew very far east [MTY], or if I flew west and made a place to live [on an island] in the ocean,

If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea,

10 you would be there also, to lead me by your hand, and you would help me.

even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me.

11 I could request the darkness to hide me, or I could request the light around me to become darkness,

And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.

12 but even [if that happened], the darkness would not be darkness for you! For you, the night is [as bright] as the daytime is, because for you, daylight and darkness are (not different/the same).

But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light.

13 You created [all] the parts of my body; you put [the parts of] my body together when I was still in my mother’s womb.

For you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother.

14 I praise you because you made my [body in a very] awesome and wonderful way. Everything that you do is amazing! I know that very well.

I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well.

15 When my body was being formed, while it was being put together where no one else could see it, you saw it!

My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth.

16 You saw me before I was born. You wrote in your book the number of days that you had decided that I would live. You did that before any of those days had [even] started!

Your eyes saw my imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them.

17 God, what you think about me is very precious (OR, is very hard to understand). There is a great number of things that you think about.

But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened.

18 If I could count them, [I would see that] they are more than the grains of sand [at the seashore]. And when I wake up, I am still with you [and I know that there are still more of your thoughts about me to count].

I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you.

19 God, I desire that you would kill all the wicked people! And I wish that violent [MTY] men would (leave/go away from) me.

O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me.

20 They say wicked/malicious things about you; they slander your name.

For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain.

21 Yahweh, I certainly [RHQ] hate those who hate you! And I despise [RHQ] those who rebel against you.

Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies?

22 I hate them completely, and I consider that they are my enemies.

I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me.

23 God, search my inner being; find out what I am thinking!

Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question me, and know my paths.

24 Find out whether there is anything evil in my [inner being], and lead me along the road [that leads to my being with you] forever.

And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity.