1 O Lord, you have searched me and have known me.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

2 Y ou know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off.

You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.

3 Y ou sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways.

You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 F or there is not a word in my tongue, but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

5 Y ou have beset me and shut me in—behind and before, and You have laid Your hand upon me.

You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.

6 Y our knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high above me, I cannot reach it.

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

7 W here could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence?

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 I f I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there.

If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 I f I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 E ven there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.

Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 I f I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be light about me,

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;

12 E ven the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 F or You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

15 M y frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret intricately and curiously wrought in the depths of the earth.

My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Y our eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

Your 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.

17 H ow precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

18 I f I could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awoke, I would still be with You.

If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

19 I f You would slay the wicked, O God, and the men of blood depart from me—

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20 W ho speak against You wickedly, Your enemies who take Your name in vain!

For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 D o I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And am I not grieved and do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred; they have become my enemies.

I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

23 S earch me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 A nd see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.