To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.*139.3 compassest: or, winnowest

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

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

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

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

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.*139.12 hideth…: Heb. darkeneth not*139.12 the darkness and…: Heb. as is the darkness, so is the light

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.*139.14 right…: Heb. greatly

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.*139.15 substance: or, strength, or, body

16 Thine 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.*139.16 all…: Heb. all of them*139.16 which…: or, what days they should be fashioned

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.*139.24 wicked…: Heb. way of pain, or, grief

1 VIR die musiekleier. 'n Psalm van Dawid.

Here, U deurgrond en ken my.

2 U ken my sit en my opstaan; U verstaan van ver my gedagte.

3 U deurvors my gaan en my lê, en U is met al my weë goed bekend.

4 Want daar is nog geen woord op my tong nie — of U, Here, U ken dit geheel en al.

5 U sluit my in van agter en van voor, en U lê u hand op my.

6 Om dit te begryp, is te wonderbaar vir my, te hoog: ek kan daar nie by nie.

7 Waar sou ek heengaan van u Gees en waarheen vlug van u aangesig?

8 Klim ek op na die hemel, U is daar; en maak ek die doderyk my bed, kyk, U is daar!

9 Neem ek die vleuels van die dageraad, gaan ek by die uiteinde van die see woon,

10 ook daar sou u hand my lei en u regterhand my vashou.

11 En as ek sê: Mag tog net die duisternis my oorval en die lig nag wees tot my beskutting,

12 dan is selfs die duisternis vir U nie donker nie, en die nag gee lig soos die dag, die duisternis is soos die lig.

13 Want Ú het my niere gevorm, my in my moeder se skoot geweef.

14 Ek loof U, omdat ek so vreeslik wonderbaar is; wonderbaar is u werke! En my siel weet dit alte goed.

15 My gebeente was vir U nie verborge toe ek in die geheim gemaak is nie, kunstig geweef in die dieptes van die aarde.

16 U oë het my ongevormde klomp gesien; en in u boek is hulle almal opgeskrywe: dae dat alles bepaal was, toe nog geeneen van hulle daar was nie.

17 Hoe kosbaar is dan vir my u gedagtes, o God! Hoe geweldig is hulle volle som nie!

18 Wil ek hulle tel, hulle is meer as die sand; word ek wakker, dan is ek nog by U.

19 o God, as U tog maar die goddelose wou ombring! En julle manne van bloed, gaan van my af weg!

20 Hulle wat arglistig teen U spreek, u Naam ydellik verhef — u teëstanders!

21 Here, sou ek dié nie haat wat vir U haat, en 'n afsku hê van die wat teen U opstaan nie?

22 Ek haat hulle met 'n volkome haat; vyande is hulle vir my!

23 Deurgrond my, o God, en ken my hart; toets my en ken my gedagtes;

24 en kyk of daar by my 'n weg is van smart, en lei my op die ewige weg!