Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have (A)searched me and known me!
You (B)know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you (C)discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, (D)you know it altogether.
You (E)hem me in, behind and before,
    and (F)lay your hand upon me.
(G)Such knowledge is (H)too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

(I)Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where (J)shall I flee from your presence?
(K)If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    (L)If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall (M)lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, (N)“Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
12 (O)even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you (P)formed my inward parts;
    you (Q)knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
(R)Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 (S)My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in (T)the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your (U)book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your (V)thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 (W)If I would count them, they are more than (X)the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

19 Oh that you would (Y)slay the wicked, O God!
    O (Z)men of blood, (AA)depart from me!
20 They (AB)speak against you with malicious intent;
    your enemies (AC)take your name in vain.[b]
21 (AD)Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
    And do I not (AE)loathe those who (AF)rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
    I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    (AG)Try me and know my thoughts![c]
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and (AH)lead me in (AI)the way everlasting![d]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart
  2. Psalm 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name
  3. Psalm 139:23 Or cares
  4. Psalm 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16)

Psalm 139

The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

Lord, You have searched me and known me.(A)
You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
You understand my thoughts from far away.(B)
You observe my travels and my rest;
You are aware of all my ways.(C)
Before a word is on my tongue,
You know all about it, Lord.(D)
You have encircled me;
You have placed Your hand on me.(E)
This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.(F)

Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?(G)
If I go up to heaven, You are there;(H)
if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.(I)
If I live at the eastern horizon
or settle at the western limits,[a]
10 even there Your hand will lead me;
Your right hand will hold on to me.(J)
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night”(K)
12 even the darkness is not dark to You.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to You.(L)

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

17 God, how difficult[e] Your thoughts are
for me to comprehend;
how vast their sum is!
18 If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;(Q)
when I wake up,[f] I am still with You.(R)

19 God, if only You would kill the wicked—
you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me(S)
20 who invoke You deceitfully.
Your enemies swear by You falsely.(T)
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.(U)

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.(V)
24 See if there is any offensive[g] way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.(W)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:9 Lit I take up the wings of the dawn; I dwell at the end of the sea
  2. Psalm 139:13 Lit my kidneys
  3. Psalm 139:14 DSS, some LXX mss, Syr, Jer read because You are remarkable and wonderful
  4. Psalm 139:14 Hb obscure
  5. Psalm 139:17 Or precious
  6. Psalm 139:18 Some Hb mss read I come to an end
  7. Psalm 139:24 Or idolatrous