Psalms 139

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

[For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.] YHWH, you have searched me, and you know me.

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

You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

For there is not a word on my tongue, but, look, YHWH, you know it altogether.

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

You encircle me behind and in front, and you place your hand upon me.

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

This knowledge is beyond me. It's lofty. I can't attain it.

7 Where shall I go from thy spirit? or where shall I flee from thy presence?

Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?

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

If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, look, you are there. (Sheol h7585)

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

If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea;

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

Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.

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

If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night;"

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

even the darkness doesn't hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.

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

For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb.

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

I will give thanks to you, for I am awesomely and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows that very well.

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

My frame wasn't hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 Thy eyes saw my substance, not yet formed; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

How precious to me are your thoughts, God. How vast is the sum of them.

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

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

If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men.

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

For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

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

YHWH, do I not hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.

I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.

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

See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.