Psalms 139

Psalm 139

For the music leader. Of David. A song.

1 LORD, you have examined me.
You know me.
2 You know when I sit down
and when I stand up.
Even from far away,
you comprehend my plans.
3 You study my traveling and resting.
You are thoroughly familiar
with all my ways.
4 There isn’t a word on my tongue, LORD,
that you don’t
already know completely.
5 You surround me—front and back.
You put your hand on me.

6 That kind of knowledge
is too much for me;
it’s so high above me
that I can’t fathom it.
7 Where could I go to get away
from your spirit?
Where could I go to escape
your presence?
8 If I went up to heaven,
you would be there.
If I went down to the grave,t
you would be there too!
9 If I could fly on the wings of dawn,
stopping to rest only
on the far side of the ocean—
10 even there your hand would guide me;
even there your strong hand
would hold me tight!
11 If I said, "The darkness will definitely hide me;
the light will become night around me,"

12 even then the darkness
isn’t too dark for you!
Nighttime would shine bright as day,
because darkness is the same
as light to you!
13 You are the one who created
my innermost parts;
you knit me together
while I was still in my mother’s womb.
14 I give thanks to you
that I was marvelously set apart.
Your works are wonderful—
I know that very well.
15 My bones weren’t hidden from you
when I was being put together
in a secret place,
when I was being woven together
in the deep parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my embryo,
and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me,t
before any one of them
had yet happened.t
17 God, your plans are incomprehensible
to me!
Their total number is countless!

18 If I tried to count them—
they outnumber grains of sand!
If I came to the very end—
I’d still be with you.t
19 If only, God, you would kill the wicked!
If only murderers
would get away from me—
20 the people who talk about you,
but only for wicked schemes;
the people who are your enemies,
who use your name as if
it were of no significance.t
21 Don’t I hate everyone who hates you?
Don’t I despise those who attack you?

22 Yes, I hate them—
through and through!
They’ve become my enemies too.
23 Examine me, God! Look at my heart!
Put me to the test!
Know my anxious thoughts!

24 Look to see if there is any idolatrous wayt in me,
then lead me on the eternal path!

Psalm 139

For the music director, a psalm of David.

1 O Lord, you examine me and know.

2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;
even from far away you understand my motives.

3 You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest;
you are aware of everything I do.

4 Certainly my tongue does not frame a word
without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it.

5 You squeeze me in from behind and in front;
you place your hand on me.

6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;
it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.

7 Where can I go to escape your spirit?
Where can I flee to escape your presence?

8 If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there.
If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be.

9 If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn,
and settle down on the other side of the sea,

10 even there your hand would guide me,
your right hand would grab hold of me.

11 If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me,
and the light will turn to night all around me,”

12 even the darkness is not too dark for you to see,
and the night is as bright as day;
darkness and light are the same to you.

13 Certainly you made my mind and heart;
you wove me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing.
You knew me thoroughly;

15 my bones were not hidden from you,
when I was made in secret
and sewed together in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb.
All the days ordained for me
were recorded in your scroll
before one of them came into existence.

17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God!
How vast is their sum total!

18 If I tried to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Even if I finished counting them,
I would still have to contend with you.

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

20 They rebel against you and act deceitfully;
your enemies lie.

21 O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you,
and despise those who oppose you?

22 I absolutely hate them,
they have become my enemies!

23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts!
Test me, and know my concerns!

24 See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me,
and lead me in the reliable ancient path!