Psalm 139 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David. O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou measurest my going about and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether.
5 Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.
5 You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too high, I cannot attain unto it.
6 This knowledge is beyond me. It’s lofty. I can’t attain it.
7 Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?
7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in the nether-world, behold, Thou art there.
8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there would Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand would hold me.
10 even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.
11 And if I say: 'Surely the darkness shall envelop me, and the light about me shall be night';
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”
12 Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness is even as the light.
12 even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.
13 For Thou hast made my reins; Thou hast knit me together in my mother's womb.
13 For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
14 I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
15 My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written — even the days that were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
16 Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.
17 How weighty also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum!
18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand; were I to come to the end of them, I would still be with Thee.
18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.
19 If Thou but wouldest slay the wicked, O God — depart from me therefore, ye men of blood;
19 If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 Who utter Thy name with wicked thought, they take it for falsehood, even Thine enemies —
20 For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? And do not I strive with those that rise up against Thee?
21 Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with utmost hatred; I count them mine enemies.
22 I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts;
23 Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.
24 And see if there be any way in me that is grievous, and lead me in the way everlasting.
24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting 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 Hebrews 4:13; Jeremiah 12:3; Jeremiah 17:9–10; Psalm 44:21; Psalm 17:3
- 2 Matthew 9:4; 2 Kings 19:27; Isaiah 37:28; Psalm 94:11; Luke 9:47
- 3 Jeremiah 23:24; Job 31:4; Proverbs 5:20–21; Genesis 28:10–17; 2 Samuel 11:27
- 4 Hebrews 4:12–13; Psalm 19:14; Psalm 50:19–21; Matthew 12:35–37; Job 42:3
- 5 Psalm 34:7; Deuteronomy 33:27; Revelation 1:17; Job 23:8–9; Exodus 24:11
- 6 Romans 11:33; Job 42:3; Job 11:7–9; Job 26:14; Psalm 40:5
- 7 Jeremiah 23:23–24; Jonah 1:3; Jonah 1:10
- 8 Amos 9:2–4; Job 34:21–22; Jonah 2:2; Obadiah 4; Proverbs 15:11
- 9 Psalm 19:6; Psalm 74:16–17; Malachi 4:2
- 10 Psalm 23:3; Isaiah 41:13; Psalm 73:23; Psalm 63:8; Psalm 143:9–10
- 11 Job 12:22; Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 94:7; Psalm 10:11–13; Job 22:12–14
- 12 Daniel 2:22; Job 34:22; Exodus 20:21; Hebrews 4:13; Job 26:6
- 13 Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 119:73; Isaiah 44:2; Job 31:15; Job 10:9–12
- 14 Genesis 1:26–27; Psalm 111:2; Psalm 104:24; Psalm 92:4–5; Psalm 40:5
- 15 Ecclesiastes 11:5; Psalm 139:13; Job 10:8–11; Psalm 63:9
- 16 Psalm 56:8; Malachi 3:16; Revelation 20:12
- 17 Psalm 40:5; Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 55:8–9; Psalm 92:5; Psalm 36:7
- 18 Psalm 3:5; Psalm 139:3; Psalm 40:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; Psalm 63:6–7
- 19 Psalm 5:6; Psalm 119:115; Isaiah 11:4; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 6:8
- 20 Jude 15; Exodus 20:7; Psalm 74:18; Psalm 2:1–3; Psalm 73:8–9
- 21 Psalm 119:158; Psalm 31:6; Revelation 2:2; 2 Chronicles 19:2; Psalm 26:5
- 22 Luke 14:26; Psalm 101:3–8
- 23 Psalm 26:2; Job 31:6; 1 Peter 1:7; Proverbs 17:3; Deuteronomy 8:2
- 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
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).
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)
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?
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)
… 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)
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)