Psalm 139

The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1 Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
You understand my thoughts from far away.
3 You observe my travels and my rest;
You are aware of all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue,
You know all about it, Lord.
5 You have encircled me;
You have placed Your hand on me.

6 [This] extraordinary knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to [reach] it.

7 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I go up to heaven, You are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
9 If I live at the eastern horizon
[or] settle at the western limits,
10 even there Your hand will lead me;
Your right hand will hold on to me.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night"-

12 even the darkness is not dark to You.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For it was You who created my inward parts;
You knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You
because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful,
and I know [this] very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from You
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all [my] days were written in Your book and planned
before a single one of them began.

17 God, how difficult Your thoughts are
for me [to comprehend];
how vast their sum is!

18 If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;
when I wake up, I am still with You.

19 God, if only You would kill the wicked-
you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me-
20 who invoke You deceitfully.
Your enemies swear [by You] falsely.
21 Lord, don't I hate those who hate You,
and detest those who rebel against You?

22 I hate them with extreme hatred;
I consider them my enemies.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.

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!