If I go east, he is not there,
and if I go west, I cannot perceive him.(A)
When he is at work to the north, I cannot see him;
when he turns south, I cannot find him.
10 Yet he knows the way I have taken;[a]
when he has tested me,(B) I will emerge as pure gold.
11 My feet have followed in his tracks;
I have kept to his way(C) and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands from his lips;
I have treasured[b] the words(D) from his mouth
more than my daily food.

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Footnotes

  1. 23:10 Lit way with me
  2. 23:12 LXX, Vg read treasured in my bosom

God’s hiddenness

Look, I go east; he’s not there,
    west, and don’t discover him;
    north in his activity, and I don’t grasp him;
    he turns south, and I don’t see.
10 Surely he knows my way;
    when he tests me,
    I will emerge as gold.
11 My feet have stayed right in his tracks.
    I have kept his way and not left it,
12     kept the commandments from his lips and not departed,
    valued the words from his mouth more than my food.

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