139 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

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 1 David cleanseth his heart from all hypocrisy, showeth that there is nothing so hid, which God seeth not. 13 Which he confirmeth by the creation of man. 14 After declaring his zeal and fear of God, he professeth to be enemy to all them that contemn God.

To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, thou hast tried me, and known me.

Thou knowest my [a]sitting and my rising: thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou [b]compassest my paths, and my lying down, and art accustomed to all my ways.

For there is not a word in my [c]tongue, but lo, thou knowest it wholly, O Lord.

Thou holdest me strait behind and before, and layest thine [d]hand upon me.

Thy knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is so high that I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy [e]Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I lie down in hell, thou art there.

Let me take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:

10 Yet thither shall thine hand [f]lead me, and thy right hand hold me.

11 If I say, Yet the darkness shall hide me, even the night shall be [g]light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and light are both alike.

13 For thou hast [h]possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise thee, for I am [i]fearfully and wondrously made: marvelous are thy works, and my soul knoweth it well.

15 My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and fashioned [j]beneath in the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see me, when I was without form: [k]for in thy book were all things written, which in continuance were fashioned, when there was none of them before.

17 How [l]dear therefore are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more than the sand: when I awake, [m]I am still with thee.

19 Oh that thou wouldest [slay], O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from me:

20 Which speak wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted up in vain.

21 Do not I [n]hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and do not I earnestly contend with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with an unfeigned hatred, as they were mine utter enemies.

23 Try me, O God, and know mine heart: prove me and know my thoughts,

24 And consider if there be any [o]way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the [p]way forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:2 He confesseth that neither our actions, thoughts, or any part of our life can be hid from God, though he seem to be far off.
  2. Psalm 139:3 So that they are evidently known to thee.
  3. Psalm 139:4 Thou knowest my meaning before I speak.
  4. Psalm 139:5 Thou so guidest me with thine hand, that I can turn no way, but where thou appointest me.
  5. Psalm 139:7 From thy power and knowledge?
  6. Psalm 139:10 Thy power doth so fast hold me, that I can escape by no means from thee.
  7. Psalm 139:11 Though darkness be an hindrance to man’s sight, yet it serveth thine eyes as well as the light.
  8. Psalm 139:13 Thou hast made me in all parts, and therefore must needs know me.
  9. Psalm 139:14 Considering thy wonderful work in forming me, I cannot but praise thee and fear thy mighty power.
  10. Psalm 139:15 That is, in my mother’s womb: which he compareth to the inward parts of the earth.
  11. Psalm 139:16 Seeing that thou didst know me before I was composed of either flesh or bone, much more now must thou know me when thou hast fashioned me.
  12. Psalm 139:17 How ought we to esteem the excellent declaration of thy wisdom in the creation of man?
  13. Psalm 139:18 I continually see new occasions to meditate in thy wisdom, and to praise thee.
  14. Psalm 139:21 He teacheth us boldly to contemn all the hatred of the wicked, and friendship of the world, when they would let us to serve God sincerely.
  15. Psalm 139:24 Or any heinous way or rebellious: meaning, that though he were subject to sin, yet he was not given to wickedness, and to provoke God by rebellion.
  16. Psalm 139:24 That is, continue thy favor towards me to the end.