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

Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.

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

You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.

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

You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

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

For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether.

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

You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me.

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

This knowledge is beyond me. It’s lofty. I can’t attain it.

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

Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?

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

If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are 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 settle 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 your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.

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

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night”;

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

even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.

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

For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together 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 give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very 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 frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths 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.

Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.

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

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum!

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

If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

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

If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

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

For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

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

Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?

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

I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.

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

Search me, 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!

See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.