Psalms

Psalm 139

1David acknowledgeth God's all-seeing providence: 14he praiseth him for the wonders of his formation; 17and for his infinite mercies: 19his confidence in the destruction of the wicked: 21his professed hatred of them: 23he prayeth for God's inspection and guidance.


0aTo the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

a Ps. 4, title.

1O LORD, bthou hast searched me, and known me.

b Ps. 17.3; 44.21. Je. 17.10; 12.3. He. 4.13. Re. 2.23. Jn. 21.17. 2Ti. 2.19.

2Thou knowest cmy downsitting and mine uprising, dthou understandest my thought afar off.

c 2Ki. 6.12; 19.27. La. 3.63. De. 6.7. Is. 37.28. d Ps. 94.11. Mat. 9.3,4. Jn. 2.24,25; 21.17. He. 4.12.

3Thou 1*compassest my path and my lying down, and eart acquainted with all my ways.

1Or, winnowest. Job 31.4.

*compassest-surround.

e Ps. 1.6. Re. 2.2,19.

4For there is not a word in my tongue, but , lo, O LORD, fthou knowest it altogether.

f He. 4.13. Zep. 1.12. Je. 17.10. Is. 65.24. Mal. 3.16. Lu. 19.31-33.

5Thou ghast beset me behind and before, and hlaid thine hand upon me.

g Job 19.8; 23.10. De. 33.27. h Job 9.33.

6Such iknowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

i Job 42.3; 11.7,8. Ps. 40.5; 131.1. Pr. 30.2,3. Ro. 11.33.

7j*Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

*whither-where.

j Je. 23.24. Jonah 1.3. 1Ki. 8.27.

8If kI ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, lbehold, thou art there.

k Am. 9.2-4. Is. 66.1. l Pr. 15.11. Job 26.6.

9If I take mthe wings of the morning, and dwell in the *uttermost parts of the sea;

*uttermost-outermost.

m Mal. 4.2.

10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; neven the night shall be light about me.

n Job 26.6; 34.21,22. Is. 29.15. Je. 23.24. He. 4.13.

12Yea, othe darkness 2hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: 3the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

2Heb. darkeneth.

3Heb. as is the darkness so is the light.

o Da. 2.22.

13For pthou hast possessed my *reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

*reins-mind, inmost being (lit. kidneys).

p Pr. 8.22; 16.1,9. Job 10.11. Zec. 12.1.

14I will praise thee; for qI am fearfully and wonderfully made: rmarvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth 4right well.

4Heb. greatly.

q Ps. 104.24. Ge. 1.26. r Re. 15.3. Job 5.9. Ps. 92.4,5; 111.2; 94.9.

15sMy 5substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

5Or, strength or body.

s Job 10.8-10. Ec. 11.5.

16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being *unperfect; and in thy book 6all my members were written, 7which in continuance were fashioned, twhen as yet there was none of them.

*unperfect-imperfect, unformed.

6Heb. all of them.

7Or, what days they should be fashioned.

t Ro. 4.17. He. 11.3.

17uHow precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

u Ps. 40.5; 35.10; 31.19; 36.7. Je. 29.11. Is. 55.8,9. Zec. 9.17.

18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: vwhen I awake, I am still with thee.

v Ps. 16.8; 63.6. Ge. 5.24; 6.9. 1Jn. 1.3.

19wSurely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: xdepart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

w Ps. 5.6; 55.15,23; 59.13; 64.7; 94.23; 28.4. Is. 11.4. x Ps. 119.115; 6.8.

20For ythey speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

y Job 21.14,15. Ps. 73.8,9. Is. 37.23; 57.4. Re. 13.6. Jude 15.

21Do znot I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

z 2Ch. 19.2. Ps. 15.4; 31.6; 119.136,158. Pr. 29.27.

22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23aSearch me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

a Ps. 26.1,2. v.1. Job 31.6.

24And bsee if there be any 8wicked way in me, and lead me in cthe way everlasting.

8Heb. way of pain or grief. 1Ch. 4.10.

b Ps. 7.3,4; 17.3; 59.3. c Ps. 5.8; 143.10; 119.1,32. Jn. 14.6. Col. 2.6. Je. 6.16.