O LORD, YOU HAVE SEARCHED ME
AND KNOWN ME.
YOU KNOW MY SITTING DOWN AND
MY RISINg UP;
YOU UNDERSTAND MY THOUGHT AFAR
OFF.
YOU COMPREHEND MY PATH AND MY
LYING DOWN,
AND ARE AQUAINTED WITH ALL MY
WAYS.
FOR THERE IS NOT A WORD ON MY
TONGUE,
BUT BEHOLD, O LORD, YOU KNOW
IT ALTOGETHER.
YOU HAVE HEDGED ME BEHIND AND
BEFORE,
AND LAID YOUR HAND UPON ME.
SUCH KNOWLEDGE IS TOO WONDERFUL
FOR ME;
IT IS HIGH, I CANNOT ATTAIN
IT.
WHERE CAN I GO FROM YOUR SPIRIT?
OR WHERE CAN I FLEE FROM YOUR
PRESENCE?
IF I ASCEND INTO HEAVEN, YOU
ARE THERE;
IF I MAKE MY BED IN HELL, BEHOLD,
YOU ARE THER.
IF I TAKE THE WINGS OF THE MORNING,
AND DWELL IN THE UTTERMOST PART
OF THE SEA,
EVEN THERE YOUR HAND SHALL LEAD
ME,
AND YOUR RIGHT HAND SHALL HOLD
ME.
IF I SAY “ SURELY THE DARKNESS
SHALL FALL ON ME,”
EVEN THE NIGHT SHALL BE LIGHT
ABOUT ME;
INDEED, THE DARKNESS SHALL NOT
HIDE FROM YOU,
BUT THE NIGHT SHINES AS THE
DAY;
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT ARE
BOTH ALIKE TO YOU.
FOR YOU FORMED MY INWARD PARTS;
YOU COVERED ME IN MY MOTHER’S
WOMB.
I WILL PRAISE YOU FOR I AM FEARFULLY
AND WONDERFULLY MADE;
MARVELOUS ARE YOUR WORKS,
AND THAT MY SOUL KNOWS VERY
WELL.
MY FRAME WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM
YOU.
WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET,
AND SKILLFULLY WROUGHT IN THE
LOWEST PARTS OF THE EARTH.
YOUR EYES SAW MY SUBSTANCE,
BEING YET UNFORMED,
AND IN YOUR BOOK THEY ALL WERE
WRITTEN,
THE DAYS FASHIONED FOR ME,
WHEN AS YET THERE WAS NONE OF
THEM.
HOW PRECIOUS ALSO ARE YOURTHOUGHTS
TO ME, O GOD!
HOW GREAT IS THE SUM OF THEM!
IF I SHOULD COUNT THEM, THEY
WOULD BE MORE IN NUMBER THAN THE SAND;
WHEN I AWAKE, I AM STILL WITH
YOU.
SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY
HEART;
TRY ME, AND KNOW MY WAYS;
AND SEE IF THER BE ANY WICKED
WAY IN ME,
AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING.
AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL
SERVE YOU LORD