Psalm 139

1  O LORD, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.2  You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off. 3  You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways.4  For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5  You have beset me and shut me in--behind and before, and You have laid Your hand upon me.6  Your [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high above me, I cannot reach it.7  Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence?8  If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there. 9  If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10  Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.11  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be [the only] light about me,12  Even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You. 13  For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.14  I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.15  My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].16  Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.17  How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18  If I could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awoke, [could I count to the end] I would still be with You.19  If You would [only] slay the wicked, O God, and the men of blood depart from me--20  Who speak against You wickedly, Your enemies who take Your name in vain! 21  Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And am I not grieved and do I not loathe those who rise up against You?22  I hate them with perfect hatred; they have become my enemies.23  Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!24  And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

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!