Psalm 139
Holman Christian Standard Bible  Par ▾ 

The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1LORD, You have searched me and known me.a

2You know when I sit down and when I stand up;

You understand my thoughts from far away.b

3You observe my travels and my rest;

You are aware of all my ways.c

4Before a word is on my tongue,

You know all about it, LORD.d

5You have encircled me;

You have placed Your hand on me.e

6This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me.

It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.f

7Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?g

8If I go up to heaven, You are there;h

if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.i

9If I live at the eastern horizon

or settle at the western limits,j

10even there Your hand will lead me;

Your right hand will hold on to me.k

11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,

and the light around me will be nightl —

12even the darkness is not dark to You.

The night shines like the day;

darkness and light are alike to You.m

13For it was You who created my inward parts;n

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.o

14I will praise You

because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.p, q

Your works are wonderful,

and I know this very well.r

15My bones were not hidden from You

when I was made in secret,

when I was formed in the depths of the earth.s

16Your eyes saw me when I was formless;

all my days were written in Your book and planned

before a single one of them began.t

17God, how difficultu Your thoughts are

for me to comprehend;

how vast their sum is!

18If I counted them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand;v

when I wake up,w I am still with You.x

19God, if only You would kill the wicked —

you bloodthirsty men, stay away from mey —

20who invoke You deceitfully.

Your enemies swear by You falsely.z

21LORD, don’t I hate those who hate You,

and detest those who rebel against You?

22I hate them with extreme hatred;

I consider them my enemies.aa

23Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my concerns.ab

24See if there is any offensiveac way in me;

lead me in the everlasting way.ad


Footnotes:
a. 139:1 Ps 17:3; 44:21; Jr 12:3
b. 139:2 2Kg 19:27; Is 66:18; Mt 9:4
c. 139:3 Jb 14:16; 31:4
d. 139:4 Heb 4:13
e. 139:5 Jb 9:33; Ps 125:2
f. 139:6 Jb 42:3; Rm 11:33
g. 139:7 Jr 23:24
h. 139:8 Am 9:2-4
i. 139:8 Jb 26:6; Is 14:11
j. 139:9 Lit I take up the wings of the dawn; I dwell at the end of the sea
k. 139:9-10 Ps 23:2-3
l. 139:11 Jb 22:13-14
m. 139:12 Jb 34:22; Dn 2:22
n. 139:13 Lit my kidneys
o. 139:13 Jb 10:11; Ps 119:73
p. 139:14 DSS, some LXX mss, Syr, Jer read because You are remarkable and wonderful
q. 139:14 Hb obscure
r. 139:14 Ps 40:5
s. 139:15 Jb 10:8-10; Ps 63:9; Ec 11:5
t. 139:16 Jb 14:5
u. 139:17 Or precious
v. 139:17-18 Ps 40:5; 92:5
w. 139:18 Some Hb mss read I come to an end
x. 139:18 Ps 3:5
y. 139:19 Ps 5:6; 6:8; Is 11:4
z. 139:20 Ex 20:7; Jd 15
aa. 139:21-22 Ps 26:5; 31:16
ab. 139:23 Jb 31:6; Ps 26:2
ac. 139:24 Or idolatrous
ad. 139:24 Ps 16:11
Psalm 138
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