Psalms 139

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

For the music director. A psalm of David. Lord, you have examined me from the inside out—you know everything about 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 know when I sit down and when I get up. You know what I'm thinking even when I'm a long way away.

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

You observe where I go and when I rest. You're familiar with everything I do.

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

Lord, you even know what I'm going to say before I say it.

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

You're always there—behind me, in front of me, and all around me. You place your caring hand on me.

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

This amazing knowledge you have is far beyond me, way beyond my understanding!

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 can I go that you're not already there? Where can I run to escape your presence?

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 go up to heaven, you are there. If I lie down in Sheol, look—you are there too! (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 were to fly away on wings of the dawn to the east; if I were to live on the far western shore of the sea,

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

even there your hand would lead me, your right hand would support me.

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

If I asked the darkness to hide me, and light to become night around me,

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).

Even darkness would not be dark for you, and the night would be bright as day, for darkness is like light to you.

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.

You made me from the inside out, shaping me in my mother's womb.

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 praise you for making me in such an awesome and wonderful way. What you do is incredible—I realize this completely!

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

My growing body was not hidden from you as I was formed in secret, as I was intricately put together “in the depths 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!

You saw me as an embryo, and in your book all my days were written down—the days that were made for me before any of them existed.

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.

God, your thoughts are so valuable to me! Taken together, they can't be counted!

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].

If I tried to count them, they would be more than every grain of sand. Yet when I awake 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.

God, if you would only kill the wicked! Murderers, get away from me!

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

When they speak of you they're being deceptively evil. Since they are your enemies, they call on you in vain.

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

Lord, don't I hate those who hate you? I despise those who rebel against you!

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

I hate them with absolute hatred—they have become my enemies!

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

Examine me carefully, God, so you can be sure of my true feelings. Check me out so you can know what I really think.

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.

Please show me if I'm following any kind of idol, and lead me along the path of eternal life.