⁵ You put Yourself behind and before me,
    and keep Your hand on me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is lofty, and I cannot fathom it.

⁷ Where shall I go from Your spirit,
    or where shall I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
    if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell at the end of the sea,
¹⁰ even there Your hand shall guide me,
    and Your right hand shall take hold of me.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light shall be as night about me,”
¹² even the darkness is not dark to You,
    but the night shines as the day,
    for the darkness is like light to You.

¹³ You brought my inner parts into being;
    You wove me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder;
    marvelous are Your works,
    and You know me completely.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You
    when I was made in secret,
and intricately put together in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶     Your eyes saw me unformed,
yet in Your book
    all my days were written,
    before any of them came into being.
¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
    How great is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I should count them,
    they are more in number than the sand;
when I awake,
    I am still with You.

¹⁹ If only You would slay the wicked, O God!
    O violent men, depart from me.
²⁰ For they speak against You with malice,
    and Your enemies take your name in vain.
²¹ Do I not hate those, O Lord, who hate You?
    And do I not abhor those who rise up against You?
²² I hate them with perfect hatred;
    I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    try me, and know my concerns,
²⁴ and see if there is any rebellious way in me,
    and lead me in the ancient way.