Psalms 138

¹Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me.

²You have known my sitting down and my rising up again.

³You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated.

⁴And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue.

⁵Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.

⁶Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.

⁷Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face?

⁸If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I descend into Hell, you are near.

⁹If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea,

¹⁰even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me.

¹¹And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.

¹²But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light.

¹³For you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother.

¹⁴I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well.

¹⁵My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁶Your eyes saw my imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them.

¹⁷But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened.

¹⁸I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you.

¹⁹O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me.

²⁰For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain.

²¹Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies?

²²I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me.

²³Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question me, and know my paths.

²⁴And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity.

Psalms 138

¹Unto the end, a psalm of David. Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me:

²Thou hast known my sitting down, and my rising up.

³Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out.

⁴And thou hast foreseen all my ways: for there is no speech in my tongue.

⁵Behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things, the last and those of old: thou hast formed me, and hast laid thy hand upon me.

⁶Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me: it is high, and I cannot reach to it.

⁷Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy face?

⁸If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I descend into hell, thou art present.

⁹If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:

¹⁰Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me.

¹¹And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.

¹²But darkness shall not be dark to thee, and night shall be light all the day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to thee.

¹³For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast protected me from my mother's womb.

¹⁴I will praise thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: wonderful are thy works, and my soul knoweth right well.

¹⁵My bone is not hidden from thee, which thou hast made in secret: and my substance in the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁶Thy eyes did see my imperfect being, and in thy book all shall be written: days shall be formed, and no one in them.

¹⁷But to me thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened.

¹⁸I will number them, and they shall be multiplied above the sand, I rose up and am still with thee.

¹⁹If thou wilt kill the wicked, O God: ye men of blood, depart from me:

²⁰Because you say in thought: They shall receive thy cities in vain.

²¹Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated thee: and pined away because of thy enemies?

²²I have hated them with a perfect hatred: and they are become enemies to me.

²³Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.

²⁴And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way.