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Psalms · Bible in Basic English

Psalm 139 Bible in Basic English

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About BBE
  • Scholarly edition
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew (not verified)
  • NT: Critical text (not verified)
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Simplified language
  • 1965
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

Notes on this text (1)

1 To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets. 2 You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away. 3 You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord. 5 I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me. 6 Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it. 7 Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you? 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea; 10 Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me. 11 If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night; 12 Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you. 13 My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body. 14 I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious. 15 My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being. 17 How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them! 18 If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood. 20 For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name. 21 Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me? 22 My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me. 23 O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested: 24 See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.

Cross references (24)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Hebrews 4:13; Jeremiah 12:3; Jeremiah 17:9–10; Psalm 44:21; Psalm 17:3
  2. 2 Matthew 9:4; 2 Kings 19:27; Isaiah 37:28; Psalm 94:11; Luke 9:47
  3. 3 Jeremiah 23:24; Job 31:4; Proverbs 5:20–21; Genesis 28:10–17; 2 Samuel 11:27
  4. 4 Hebrews 4:12–13; Psalm 19:14; Psalm 50:19–21; Matthew 12:35–37; Job 42:3
  5. 5 Psalm 34:7; Deuteronomy 33:27; Revelation 1:17; Job 23:8–9; Exodus 24:11
  6. 6 Romans 11:33; Job 42:3; Job 11:7–9; Job 26:14; Psalm 40:5
  7. 7 Jeremiah 23:23–24; Jonah 1:3; Jonah 1:10
  8. 8 Amos 9:2–4; Job 34:21–22; Jonah 2:2; Obadiah 4; Proverbs 15:11
  9. 9 Psalm 19:6; Psalm 74:16–17; Malachi 4:2
  10. 10 Psalm 23:3; Isaiah 41:13; Psalm 73:23; Psalm 63:8; Psalm 143:9–10
  11. 11 Job 12:22; Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 94:7; Psalm 10:11–13; Job 22:12–14
  12. 12 Daniel 2:22; Job 34:22; Exodus 20:21; Hebrews 4:13; Job 26:6
  13. 13 Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 119:73; Isaiah 44:2; Job 31:15; Job 10:9–12
  14. 14 Genesis 1:26–27; Psalm 111:2; Psalm 104:24; Psalm 92:4–5; Psalm 40:5
  15. 15 Ecclesiastes 11:5; Psalm 139:13; Job 10:8–11; Psalm 63:9
  16. 16 Psalm 56:8; Malachi 3:16; Revelation 20:12
  17. 17 Psalm 40:5; Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 55:8–9; Psalm 92:5; Psalm 36:7
  18. 18 Psalm 3:5; Psalm 139:3; Psalm 40:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; Psalm 63:6–7
  19. 19 Psalm 5:6; Psalm 119:115; Isaiah 11:4; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 6:8
  20. 20 Jude 15; Exodus 20:7; Psalm 74:18; Psalm 2:1–3; Psalm 73:8–9
  21. 21 Psalm 119:158; Psalm 31:6; Revelation 2:2; 2 Chronicles 19:2; Psalm 26:5
  22. 22 Luke 14:26; Psalm 101:3–8
  23. 23 Psalm 26:2; Job 31:6; 1 Peter 1:7; Proverbs 17:3; Deuteronomy 8:2
  24. 24 Psalm 143:10; Jeremiah 17:9–10; Psalm 25:8–9; Psalm 119:32; Psalm 16:11

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

Articles and answers on this site that cite Psalm 139.

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Commentary Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm CXXXVIII)

    The title of this Psalm is brief and simple, and need not detain us; since we know whose resemblance David wore, and since in him we recognise ourselves also, for we too are members of that Body. The whole title is, "To David himself." Let us see then, what is to David himself.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)

  2. Quotes verse 139:7–10 Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians (Chapters XXVI–XXXIII)

    If I ascend into heaven, Thou art there; if I go away even to the uttermost parts of the earth, there is Thy right hand; if I make my bed in the abyss, there is Thy Spirit." Whither, then, shall any one go, or where shall he escape from Him who comprehends all things?

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  3. Quotes verse 139:7 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book V)

    For whither fled they when they fled from Thy presence? Or where dost Thou not find them?

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)

  4. Quotes verse 139:8 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture VIII)

    … have dared to circumscribe God's providence by the clouds and the heaven, and to alienate from God the things on earth; having forgotten the Psalm which says, If I go up into heaven, Thou art there, if I go down into hell, Thou art present.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

  5. Quotes verse 139:14 Basil of Caesarea, Hexaemeron (Homily IX)

    Yet the beholding of heaven and earth does not make us know God better than the attentive study of our being does; I am, says the Prophet, fearfully and wonderfully made; that is to say, in observing myself I have known Thy infinite wisdom.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)