Skip to the text

Psalms · Geneva Bible (1599)

Psalm 139 Geneva Bible (1599)

Leer en español
About GNV
  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Textus Receptus
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 1599
  • Public domain

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

Notes on this text (2)

1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David. O Lord, thou hast tried me and knowen me. 2 Thou knowest my sitting and my rising: thou vnderstandest my thought afarre off. 3 Thou compassest my pathes, and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my wayes. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but loe, thou knowest it wholy, O Lord. 5 Thou holdest mee straite behinde and before, and layest thine hand vpon me. 6 Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee: it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it. 7 Whither shall I goe from thy Spirite? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascende into heauen, thou art there: if I lye downe in hell, thou art there. 9 Let mee take the winges of the morning, and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea: 10 Yet thither shall thine hand leade me, and thy right hand holde me. 11 If I say, Yet the darkenes shall hide me, euen the night shalbe light about me. 12 Yea, the darkenes hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkenes and light are both alike. 13 For thou hast possessed my reines: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe. 14 I will praise thee, for I am fearefully and wonderously made: marueilous are thy workes, and my soule knoweth it well. 15 My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and facioned beneath in the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see me, when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written, which in continuance were facioned, when there was none of them before. 17 Howe deare therefore are thy thoughtes vnto me, O God! how great is ye summe of them! 18 If I should count them, they are moe then the sand: when I wake, I am still with thee. 19 Oh that thou wouldest slay, O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from mee: 20 Which speake wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine. 21 Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and doe not I earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee? 22 I hate them with an vnfained hatred, as they were mine vtter enemies. 23 Try mee, O God, and knowe mine heart: prooue me and know my thoughtes, 24 And consider if there be any way of wickednes in me, and leade me in the way for euer.

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)