Psalm 139:1-12

Common English Bible

Psalm 139

For the music leader. Of David. A song.

139 Lord, you have examined me.
    You know me.
²You know when I sit down and when I stand up.
    Even from far away, you comprehend my plans.
³You study my traveling and resting.
    You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways.
⁴There isn’t a word on my tongue, Lord,
    that you don’t already know completely.
⁵You surround me—front and back.
    You put your hand on me.
⁶That kind of knowledge is too much for me;
    it’s so high above me that I can’t reach it.

⁷Where could I go to get away from your spirit?
    Where could I go to escape your presence?
⁸If I went up to heaven, you would be there.
    If I went down to the grave,^[a] you would be there too!
⁹If I could fly on the wings of dawn,
    stopping to rest only on the far side of the ocean—
¹⁰        even there your hand would guide me;
        even there your strong hand would hold me tight!
¹¹If I said, “The darkness will definitely hide me;
        the light will become night around me,”
¹²    even then the darkness isn’t too dark for you!
        Nighttime would shine bright as day,
        because darkness is the same as light to you!