Psalms 139

1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.

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

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

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

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

You have traced my path and my bed, and have foreseen all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether.

For there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, you have known all things,

5 You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me.

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

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

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

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

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

8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! (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 take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of 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 your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.

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

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”

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

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

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

For you, O Lord, have possessed my reins; you have helped me from my mother's womb.

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

I will give you thanks; for you are fearfully wondrous; wondrous are your works; and my soul knows [it] well.

15 My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths 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 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.

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 amongst them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21 Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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