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139 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:

(1) Adonai, you have probed me, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I stand up,
you discern my inclinations from afar,
you scrutinize my daily activities.
You are so familiar with all my ways
that before I speak even a word, Adonai,
you know all about it already.
You have hemmed me in both behind and in front
and laid your hand on me.
Such wonderful knowledge is beyond me,
far too high for me to reach.

Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I climb up to heaven, you are there;
if I lie down in Sh’ol, you are there.
If I fly away with the wings of the dawn
and land beyond the sea,
10 even there your hand would lead me,
your right hand would hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Let darkness surround me,
let the light around me be night,”
12 even darkness like this
is not too dark for you;
rather, night is as clear as day,
darkness and light are the same.

13 For you fashioned my inmost being,
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I thank you because I am awesomely made,
wonderfully; your works are wonders —
I know this very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes could see me as an embryo,
but in your book all my days were already written;
my days had been shaped
before any of them existed.
17 God, how I prize your thoughts!
How many of them there are!
18 If I count them, there are more than grains of sand;
if I finish the count, I am still with you.

19 God, if only you would kill off the wicked!
Men of blood, get away from me!
20 They invoke your name for their crafty schemes;
yes, your enemies misuse it.
21 Adonai, how I hate those who hate you!
I feel such disgust with those who defy you!
22 I hate them with unlimited hatred!
They have become my enemies too.

23 Examine me, God, and know my heart;
test me, and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is in me any hurtful way,
and lead me along the eternal way.

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

You have searched me,(A) Lord,
    and you know(B) me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;(C)
    you perceive my thoughts(D) from afar.
You discern my going out(E) and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.(F)
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.(G)
You hem me in(H) behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,(I)
    too lofty(J) for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee(K) from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens,(L) you are there;
    if I make my bed(M) in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,(N)
    your right hand(O) will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark(P) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;(Q)
    you knit me together(R) in my mother’s womb.(S)
14 I praise you(T) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,(U)
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made(V) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together(W) in the depths of the earth.(X)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained(Y) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a](Z) God!(AA)
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,(AB)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand(AC)
    when I awake,(AD) I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!(AE)
    Away from me,(AF) you who are bloodthirsty!(AG)
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries(AH) misuse your name.(AI)
21 Do I not hate those(AJ) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor(AK) those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.(AL)
23 Search me,(AM) God, and know my heart;(AN)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way(AO) in me,
    and lead me(AP) in the way everlasting.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:17 Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me

Where Can I Go from Your Spirit?

For the choir director. Of David. A Psalm.

139 O Yahweh, You have (A)searched me and known me.
You (B)know [a]when I sit down and [b]when I rise up;
You (C)understand my thought from afar.
You [c](D)scrutinize my [d]path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
[e]Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Yahweh, You (E)know it all.
You have (F)enclosed me behind and before,
And You have (G)put Your hand upon me.
Such (H)knowledge is (I)too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

(J)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
(K)If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, (L)You are there.
If I lift up the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will (M)lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the (N)darkness will (O)bruise me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even the (P)darkness is not too dark for You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
(Q)Darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For You (R)formed my [f]inward parts;
You (S)wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for [g]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
(T)Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [h](U)frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And (V)intricately woven in the (W)depths of the earth;
16 Your (X)eyes have seen my unshaped substance;
And in (Y)Your book all of them were written
The (Z)days that were formed for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious are Your (AA)thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would (AB)outnumber the sand.
When (AC)I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh that You would (AD)slay the wicked, O God!
(AE)O (AF)men of bloodshed, depart from me.
20 For they (AG)speak [i]against You wickedly,
And Your enemies [j](AH)take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not (AI)hate those who hate You, O Yahweh?
And do I not (AJ)revile those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

23 (AK)Search me, O God, and know my heart;
(AL)Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any [k](AM)hurtful way in me,
And (AN)lead me in the (AO)everlasting way.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:2 Lit my sitting
  2. Psalm 139:2 Lit my rising
  3. Psalm 139:3 Lit winnow
  4. Psalm 139:3 Or journeying
  5. Psalm 139:4 Lit When there is not
  6. Psalm 139:13 Lit kidneys
  7. Psalm 139:14 Some ancient versions You are fearfully wonderful
  8. Psalm 139:15 Lit bones were
  9. Psalm 139:20 Or of
  10. Psalm 139:20 Some mss lift themselves up against You
  11. Psalm 139:24 Lit way of pain