Psalm 139
139
Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1O Lord, you have #Jer. 12:3; See Ps. 7:9; 17:3; 44:21searched me and known me!
2You #2 Kgs. 19:27; Lam. 3:63 know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you #[Job 14:16; 31:4; Matt. 9:4; John 2:24, 25]discern my thoughts from afar.
3You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, #Heb. 4:13you know it altogether.
5You #Job 19:8 hem me in, behind and before,
and #Job 9:33lay your hand upon me.
6 #
Rom. 11:33 Such knowledge is #Job 42:3too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 # [Jer. 23:24] Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where #Jonah 1:3shall I flee from your presence?
8 # [Amos 9:2] If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
# [Job 26:6] If I make my bed in Sheol, 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 #ver. 24; Ps. 23:3lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11If I say, #[Job 22:14]“Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 #
Job 34:22; [Dan. 2:22] even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
13For you #Deut. 32:6 formed my inward parts;
you #[Job 10:11]knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.#139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart
# See Ps. 72:18 Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 # [Job 10:8-10; Eccles. 11:5] My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in #Ps. 63:9the depths of the earth.
16Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your #Ps. 56:8book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
17How precious to me are your #Ps. 92:5thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 #
Ps. 40:5 If I would count them, they are more than #Gen. 22:17the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
19Oh that you would #Isa. 11:4; [Ps. 9:17] slay the wicked, O God!
O #Ps. 5:6 men of blood, #See Ps. 6:8depart from me!
20They #[Jude 15] speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies #Ex. 20:7take your name in vain.#139:20 Hebrew lacks your name
21 # See Ps. 26:5 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not #Ps. 119:158 loathe those who #Ps. 59:1rise up against you?
22I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart!
#
Ps. 26:2
Try me and know my thoughts!#139:23 Or cares
24And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and #ver. 10 lead me in #[Jer. 6:16; 18:15]the way everlasting!#139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16)
Currently Selected:
Psalm 139: ESV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV:
Psalms 139
139
To the director: A praise song of David.
1Lord, you have tested me,
so you know all about me.
2You know when I sit down and when I get up.
You know my thoughts from far away.
3You know where I go and where I lie down.
You know everything I do.
4Lord, you know what I want to say,
even before the words leave my mouth.
5You are all around me—in front of me and behind me.
I feel your hand on my shoulder.
6I am amazed at what you know;
it is too much for me to understand.
7Your Spirit is everywhere I go.
I cannot escape your presence.
8If I go up to heaven, you will be there.
If I go down to the place of death, you will be there.
9If I go east where the sun rises
or go to live in the west beyond the sea,
10even there you will take my hand and lead me.
Your strong right hand will protect me.
11Suppose I wanted to hide from you and said,
“Surely the darkness will hide me.
The day will change to night and cover me.”
12Even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are the same.
13You formed the way I think and feel.#139:13 the way I think and feel Literally, “my kidneys,” which were thought to be the center of emotions.
You put me together in my mother’s womb.
14I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way.
I know how amazing that was!
15You could see my bones grow as my body took shape,
hidden in my mother’s womb.#139:15 mother’s womb Literally, “deepest parts of the earth,” meaning a place we know nothing about.
16You watched my body grow there.
In your book you wrote about all the days planned for me
before any of them had happened.
17Your thoughts are beyond my understanding.#139:17 beyond my understanding Or “precious to me.”
They cannot be measured!
18If I could count them, they would be more than all the grains of sand.
But when I finished, I would have just begun.#139:18 I … begun Or “I would still be with you.”
19You murderers, get away from me!
God, kill those wicked people—
20those who say bad things about you.
Your enemies use your name falsely.#139:20 Your enemies … falsely The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
21Lord, I hate those who hate you.
I hate those who are against you.
22I hate them completely!
Your enemies are also my enemies.
23God, examine me and know my mind.
Test me and know all my worries.
24Make sure that I am not going the wrong way.#139:24 Make sure … way Or “See that I don’t worship idols.”
Lead me on the path that has always been right.#139:24 Lead me … right Or “Guide me on the ancient path.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International