To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David 1 O Jehovah! thou hast searched me and known me 2 Thou hast known my down sitting and my uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 My path and my lying down thou besiegest, And with all my ways thou art acquainted. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue [But] lo! O God! thou knowest it altogether. 5 Behind and before thou hast shut me up, And hast laid upon me thy hand. 6 Wonderful is thy knowledge above me; It is high, I cannot attain to it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? And whither from thy time shall I flee? 8 If I ascend up into the heavens, there thou art; If I lie down [401] in the sepulcher, behold! thou [art there.] 9 Should I take the wings of the morning, That I may dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there thy hand shall lead me, And hold me shall thy right hand. 11 If I should say: "At least the darkness shall cover me; " "And the night shall be light for me;" 12 Even the darkness shall not hide from the And the night as the day shall shine, And the darkness as the light. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins; Thou hast covered me in the womb of my mother. 14 I will celebrate thee; for I have been fearfully and wonderfully made: [402] Marvelous are thy works, And my soul shall know them full well. 15 Not hidden is my strength from thee, Which thou hast made in secret: I was woven together in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 My shapelessness see did thine eyes; [403] In thy book all shall be written; They were formed in many days, And there was not one of them. 17 And towards me how precious are thy thoughts, O God! How great are the sums of them! 18 If I should count them; above the sand they shall be multiplied: I am awakened, and still I am with thee. 19 If thou shalt slay, O God! the wicked, Then ye men of bloods depart from me. 20 Who have spoken of thee wickedly: Taken thy name falsely have thy adversaries. 21 Thy haters, O Jehovah! shall not I hate? And with those that rise up against thee shall I not strive? 22 With perfect hatred I have hated them, As my enemies I have held them. 23 Search me, O God! and know my heart: Examine me and know my thoughts. 24 And know whether the way of wickedness be in me, And lead me in the way of this life. Footnotes: [401] "If I make my bed" -- Fr. [402] Literally, "for terribly I have been made wonderful." [403] "Thine eyes did see me when I was yet without form." -- Fr. |
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