Psalm 139

God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.

¹Lord , You have searched me and known me.

²You know when I sit down and when I get up;[#139:2 Lit my sitting; #139:2 Lit my rising]

You understand my thought from far away.

³You scrutinize my path and my lying down,[#139:3 Lit winnow; #139:3 Or journeying]

And are acquainted with all my ways.

⁴Even before there is a word on my tongue,[#139:4 Lit For there is not]

Behold, Lord , You know it all.

⁵You have encircled me behind and in front,

And placed Your hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.

⁷¶Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

⁸If I ascend to heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

⁹If I take up the wings of the dawn,

If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

¹⁰Even there Your hand will lead me,

And Your right hand will take hold of me.

¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,[#139:11 Lit bruise; some commentators cover]

And the light around me will be night,”

¹²Even darkness is not dark to You,[#139:12 Lit from]

And the night is as bright as the day.

Darkness and light are alike to You.

¹³¶For You created my innermost parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;[#139:14 Some ancient versions You are fearfully wonderful]

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

¹⁵My frame was not hidden from You[#139:15 Lit bones were]

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;

¹⁶Your eyes have seen my formless substance;

And in Your book were written

All the days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.

¹⁷¶How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God!

How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.

When I awake, I am still with You.

¹⁹¶If only You would put the wicked to death, God;

Leave me, you men of bloodshed.

²⁰For they speak against You wickedly,[#139:20 Or of]

And Your enemies take Your name in vain.

²¹Do I not hate those who hate You, Lord ?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

²²I hate them with the utmost hatred;

They have become my enemies.

²³¶Search me, God, and know my heart;

Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;

²⁴And see if there is any hurtful way in me,[#139:24 Lit way of pain]

And lead me in the everlasting way.