139 Lord , you look deep inside me,
and you know all about me.
2 You know when I sit down,
and you know when I get up.
Even when you are far away,
you understand what I am thinking about.
3 You see me when I go out,
and you see me when I stay at home.
You know everything that I do!
4 Yes Lord , before I open my mouth to speak,
you know what I will say.
5 You are all around me, in front of me and behind me.
You put your hand on me to help me.
6 You know so much about me, it is wonderful.
I cannot understand it.
My thoughts cannot reach as high as that!
7 Is there anywhere that I can go
to run away from your Spirit?
Anywhere that I go, you are already there!
8 If I go up to heaven,
you would be there.
If I dig deep down into the ground to reach Sheol,
you would be there too.
9 If I fly away to where the sun rises in the east,
or to the other side of the sea in the west,
you would be there.
10 You would use your hand to lead me.
Your strong right hand would keep me safe.
11 I might say, ‘I will hide myself in the dark,
and the light round me will change into night.’
12 But it is never too dark for you to see.
For you, the night has as much light as the day.
Darkness and light are the same to you!
13 You made every part of me.
You made me grow inside my mother before I was born.
14 I thank you for the wonderful way that you have made me.
Everything that you do is wonderful!
I know it is true.
15 While you caused me to grow in a secret place,
none of my body was hidden from you.
You made me deep in the earth. [ b ]
16 Your eyes watched me before I was born.
Before I had seen the light of day,
you decided how many days I would live!
You wrote it down in your book.
17 You have so many thoughts about me, God,
that I cannot understand them all.
18 They are too many for me to count,
more than the sand on the shore of the sea.
Even if I finished counting them,
you would still be there!
19 God, you should surely destroy the wicked people!
Yes, you murderers, leave me alone!
20 Those people say bad things against you, God.
Your enemies always tell lies.
21 Lord , I hate those people who hate you.
I have no time for those who turn against you.
22 Yes, I really hate them.
Your enemies are my enemies too.
23 Please God, look deep inside me.
See what is there in my thoughts.
24 Show me if I am following any evil way.
Lead me in the right way that has always been true.
139 Lord , you have tested me,
so you know all about me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up.
You know my thoughts from far away.
3 You know where I go and where I lie down.
You know everything I do.
4 Lord , you know what I want to say,
even before the words leave my mouth.
5 You are all around me—in front of me and behind me.
I feel your hand on my shoulder.
6 I am amazed at what you know;
it is too much for me to understand.
7 Your Spirit is everywhere I go.
I cannot escape your presence.
8 If I go up to heaven, you will be there.
If I go down to the place of death, you will be there.
9 If I go east where the sun rises
or go to live in the west beyond the sea,
10 even there you will take my hand and lead me.
Your strong right hand will protect me.
11 Suppose I wanted to hide from you and said,
“Surely the darkness will hide me.
The day will change to night and cover me.”
12 Even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are the same.
13 You formed the way I think and feel. [ a ]
You put me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way.
I know how amazing that was!
15 You could see my bones grow as my body took shape,
hidden in my mother’s womb. [ b ]
16 You could see my body grow each passing day. [ c ]
You listed all my parts, and not one of them was missing.
17 Your thoughts are beyond my understanding. [ d ]
They cannot be measured!
18 If I could count them, they would be more than all the grains of sand.
But when I finished, I would have just begun. [ e ]
19 You murderers, get away from me!
God, kill those wicked people—
20 those who say bad things about you.
Your enemies use your name falsely. [ f ]
21 Lord , I hate those who hate you.
I hate those who are against you.
22 I hate them completely!
Your enemies are also my enemies.
23 God, examine me and know my mind.
Test me and know all my worries.
24 Make sure that I am not going the wrong way. [ g ]
Lead me on the path that has always been right. [ h ]
139 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord , thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto 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 thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O Lord , that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
139 Lord , You have ( A ) searched me and known me .
2 You ( B ) know [ a ] when I sit down and [ b ] when I get up;
You ( C ) understand my thought from far away.
3 You [ c ] ( D ) scrutinize my [ d ] path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 [ e ] Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, Lord , You ( E ) know it all.
5 You have ( F ) encircled me behind and in front,
And ( G ) placed Your hand upon me.
6 Such ( H ) knowledge is ( I ) too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.
7 ( J ) Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 ( K ) If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [ f ] Sheol, behold, ( L ) You are there.
9 If I take 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 take hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the ( N ) darkness will [ g ] overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even ( O ) darkness is not dark [ h ] to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
( P ) Darkness and light are alike to You .
13 For You ( Q ) created my innermost parts;
You ( R ) wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, because [ i ] I am awesomely and wonderfully made ;
( S ) Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [ j ] ( T ) frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully formed in the ( U ) depths of the earth;
16 Your ( V ) eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in ( W ) Your book were written
All the ( X ) days that were ordained for me ,
When as yet there was not one of them.
17 How precious also are Your ( Y ) thoughts for me, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would ( Z ) outnumber the sand.
When ( AA ) I awake, I am still with You.
19 If only You would ( AB ) put the wicked to death, God;
( AC ) Leave me, ( AD ) you men of bloodshed.
20 For they ( AE ) speak [ k ] against You wickedly,
And Your enemies [ l ] ( AF ) take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not ( AG ) hate those who hate You, Lord ?
And do I not ( AH ) loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.
23 ( AI ) Search me, God, and know my heart;
( AJ ) Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there is any [ m ] ( AK ) hurtful way in me,
And ( AL ) lead me in the ( AM ) everlasting way.
1 You have searched me, ( A ) Lord ,
and you know ( B ) me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; ( C )
you perceive my thoughts ( D ) from afar.
3 You discern my going out ( E ) and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways. ( F )
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord , know it completely. ( G )
5 You hem me in ( H ) behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, ( I )
too lofty ( J ) for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee ( K ) from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, ( L ) you are there;
if I make my bed ( M ) in the depths, you are there.
9 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.
