| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. | 1For the choir director. A Davidic psalm. LORD, You have searched me and known me. |
| 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. | 2You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. |
| 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. | 3You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways. |
| 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. | 4Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, LORD. |
| 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. | 5You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me. |
| 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. | 6This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it. |
| 7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? | 7Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? |
| 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. | 8If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. |
| 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; | 9If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, |
| 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. | 10even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me. |
| 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. | 11If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night"-- |
| 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. | 12even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You. |
| 13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. | 13For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb. |
| 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. | 14I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. |
| 15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. | 15My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. |
| 16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. | 16Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began. |
| 17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! | 17God, how difficult Your thoughts are for me to comprehend; how vast their sum is! |
| 18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. | 18If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with You. |
| 19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. | 19God, if only You would kill the wicked-- you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me-- |
| 20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. | 20who invoke You deceitfully. Your enemies swear by You falsely. |
| 21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? | 21 LORD, don't I hate those who hate You, and detest those who rebel against You? |
| 22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. | 22I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies. |
| 23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: | 23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. |
| 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. | 24See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way. |
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