PSALM 139

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David

1 O Jehovah! thou hast searched me and known me

2 Thou hast known my down sitting and my uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 My path and my lying down thou besiegest, And with all my ways thou art acquainted.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue [But] lo! O God! thou knowest it altogether.

5 Behind and before thou hast shut me up, And hast laid upon me thy hand.

6 Wonderful is thy knowledge above me; It is high, I cannot attain to it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? And whither from thy time shall I flee?

8 If I ascend up into the heavens, there thou art; If I lie down ⁴⁰¹⁴⁰¹     “If I make my bed” — Fr. in the sepulcher, behold! thou [art there.]

9 Should I take the wings of the morning, That I may dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there thy hand shall lead me, And hold me shall thy right hand.

11 If I should say: “At least the darkness shall cover me; ” “And the night shall be light for me;“

12 Even the darkness shall not hide from the And the night as the day shall shine, And the darkness as the light.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins; Thou hast covered me in the womb of my mother.

14 I will celebrate thee; for I have been fearfully and wonderfully made: ⁴⁰²⁴⁰²     Literally, “for terribly I have been made wonderful.” Marvelous are thy works, And my soul shall know them full well.

15 Not hidden is my strength from thee, Which thou hast made in secret: I was woven together in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 My shapelessness see did thine eyes; ⁴⁰³⁴⁰³     “Thine eyes did see me when I was yet without form.” — Fr. In thy book all shall be written; They were formed in many days, And there was not one of them.

17 And towards me how precious are thy thoughts, O God! How great are the sums of them!

18 If I should count them; above the sand they shall be multiplied: I am awakened, and still I am with thee.

19 If thou shalt slay, O God! the wicked, Then ye men of bloods depart from me.

20 Who have spoken of thee wickedly: Taken thy name falsely have thy adversaries.

21 Thy haters, O Jehovah! shall not I hate? And with those that rise up against thee shall I not strive?

22 With perfect hatred I have hated them, As my enemies I have held them.

23 Search me, O God! and know my heart: Examine me and know my thoughts.

24 And know whether the way of wickedness be in me, And lead me in the way of this life.