Psalm 139
New King James Version Par ▾ 

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3You [a]comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5You have [b]hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

7Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [c]hell, behold, You are there.
9If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11If I say, “Surely the darkness shall [d]fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12Indeed, the darkness [e]shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13For You formed my inward parts;
You [f]covered me in my mother’s womb.
14I will praise You, for [g]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15My [h]frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

19Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you [i]bloodthirsty men.
20For they speak against You wickedly;
[j]Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22I hate them with [k]perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

23Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 139:3 Lit. winnow
  2. Psalm 139:5 enclosed
  3. Psalm 139:8 Or Sheol
  4. Psalm 139:11 Vg., Symmachus cover
  5. Psalm 139:12 Lit. is not dark
  6. Psalm 139:13 wove
  7. Psalm 139:14 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. You are fearfully wonderful
  8. Psalm 139:15 Lit. bones were
  9. Psalm 139:19 Lit. men of bloodshed
  10. Psalm 139:20 LXX, Vg. They take Your cities in vain
  11. Psalm 139:22 complete
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Bible Hub
Psalm 138
Top of Page
Top of Page