Psalms 139

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

The psalmist addresses the Lord, stating that God searches him, knows his sitting and rising, understands his thoughts from afar, and is acquainted with all his ways before he speaks a word. The speaker questions where he could flee from God's Spirit or presence, noting that God is present whether he ascends to the heavens, makes his bed in Sheol, rises on the wings of the dawn, or settles by the farthest sea, and that even darkness is as light to God. The text describes God forming the speaker's inmost being and knitting him together in his mother's womb while his unformed body and all his ordained days were recorded in God's book. The speaker then mentions those who speak against God and declares his hatred for God's enemies, before concluding by asking God to search his heart, test his concerns, and lead him in the everlasting way.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹O LORD, You have searched me and known me. ²You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. ³You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways. ⁴Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD. ⁵You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me. ⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. ⁷Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? ⁸If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. ⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, ¹⁰even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”— ¹²even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You. ¹³For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. ¹⁵My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be. ¹⁷How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God, how vast is their sum! ¹⁸If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; and when I awake, I am still with You. ¹⁹O God, that You would slay the wicked— away from me, you bloodthirsty men— ²⁰who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain. ²¹Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You? ²²I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies. ²³Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. ²⁴See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.