Psalm 139

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A praise song of David.

139 Lord, 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.^[a]
    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.^[b]
¹⁶You could see my body grow each passing day.^[c]
    You listed all my parts, and not one of them was missing.
¹⁷Your thoughts are beyond my understanding.^[d]
    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.^[e]

¹⁹You murderers, get away from me!
    God, kill those wicked people—
²⁰those who say bad things about you.
    Your enemies use your name falsely.^[f]
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.^[g]
    Lead me on the path that has always been right.^[h]

Footnotes

Psalm 139:13 the way I think and feel Literally, “my kidneys,” which were thought to be the center of emotions.
Psalm 139:15 mother’s womb Literally, “deepest parts of the earth,” meaning a place we know nothing about.
Psalm 139:16 You … day Or “You watched me every day.”
Psalm 139:17 beyond my understanding Or “precious to me.”
Psalm 139:18 I … begun Or “I would still be with you.”
Psalm 139:20 Your enemies … falsely The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
Psalm 139:24 Make sure … way Or “See that I don’t worship idols.”
Psalm 139:24 Lead me … right Or “Guide me on the ancient path.”