1 T o the Overseer. -- A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest.

¶ O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me.

2 T hou -- Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.

Thou knowest my sitting down and my rising up, thou dost understand my thoughts from afar.

3 M y path and my couch Thou hast fanned, And all my ways hast been acquainted.

Thou hast girded my walk and my rest, and hast prepared all my ways.

4 F or there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all!

For the word is not even upon my tongue, and, behold, O LORD, thou dost know it altogether.

5 B ehind and before Thou hast besieged me, And Thou dost place on me Thy hand.

Thou hast formed my face and my insides and laid thine hand upon me.

6 K nowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it.

Thy knowledge is wonderful beyond my ability to comprehend; it is high, I cannot understand it.

7 W hither do I go from Thy Spirit? And whither from Thy face do I flee?

¶ Where shall I go from thy spirit? or where shall I flee from thy presence?

8 I f I ascend the heavens -- there Thou, And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee!

If I ascend to the heavens, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there.

9 I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,

If I take the wings of the dawn and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 A lso there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me.

even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 A nd I say, `Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night light to me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall shine because of me.

12 A lso darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as darkness so light.

Even the darkness does not hide from thee; but the night shines as the day; the darkness is as the light.

13 F or Thou -- Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly.

For thou hast possessed my kidneys: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I confess Thee, because that wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful Thy works, And my soul is knowing well.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy works, and that, my soul knows right well.

15 M y substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth.

My body was not hid from thee, even though I was made in secret and brought together in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 M ine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed -- And not one among them.

Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which were then formed, without lacking one of them.

17 A nd to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum!

¶ Therefore, how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

18 I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee.

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

19 D ost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me!

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God; depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.

20 W ho exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity Thine enemies.

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

21 D o not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself?

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

22 p erfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.

I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them mine 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 thoughts

24 A nd see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!

and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way eternal.