Logos Bible Study

Psalm 139:title–10

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Hebrew

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

For the music director, a psalm of David.

139:1O Lord, you examine me1 and know.

139:2You know when I sit down and when I get up;

even from far away you understand my motives.

139:3You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest;2

you are aware of everything I do.3

139:4Certainly4 my tongue does not frame a word

without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it.5

139:5You squeeze me in from behind and in front;

you place your hand on me.

139:6Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;

it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.6

139:7Where can I go to escape your spirit?

Where can I flee to escape your presence?7

139:8If I were to ascend8 to heaven, you would be there.

If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be.9

139:9If I were to fly away10 on the wings of the dawn,11

and settle down on the other side12 of the sea,

139:10even there your hand would guide me,

your right hand would grab hold of me.

Read in Logos
Psalm 139:1: O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

Footnotes

  1. 1 The statement is understood as generalizing—the psalmist describes what God typically does.
  2. 2 Heb “my traveling and my lying down you measure.” The verb זָרָה (zarah, “to measure”) is probably here a denominative from זָרָת (zarat, “a span; a measure”), though some derive it from זָרָה (zarat, “to winnow; to sift”; see 279–80 זָרָה).
  3. 3 Heb “all my ways.”
  4. 4 Or “for.”
  5. 5 Heb “look, O Lord, you know all of it.”
  6. 6 Heb “too amazing [is this] knowledge for me, it is elevated, I cannot attain to it.”
  7. 7 Heb “Where can I go from your spirit, and where from your face can I flee?” God’s “spirit” may refer here (1) to his presence (note the parallel term, “your face,” and see Ps 104:29–30, where God’s “face” is his presence and his “spirit” is the life-giving breath he imparts) or (2) to his personal Spirit (see Ps 51:10).
  8. 8 The Hebrew verb סָלַק (salaq, “to ascend”) occurs only here in the OT, but the word is well-attested in Aramaic literature from different time periods and displays a wide semantic range (see 2:788–90).
  9. 9 Heb “look, you.”
  10. 10 Heb “rise up.”
  11. 11 On the wings of the dawn. This personification of the “dawn” may find its roots in mythological traditions about the god Shachar, whose birth is described in an Ugaritic myth (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 126) and who is mentioned in Isa 14:12 as the father of Helel.
  12. 12 Heb “at the end.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

Lord, you have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I stand up;

you understand my thoughts from far away.

You observe my travels and my rest;

you are aware of all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue,

you know all about it, Lord.

You have encircled me;

you have placed your hand on me.

This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.

It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.

Where can I go to escape your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

If I live at the eastern horizon

or settle at the western limits,

even there your hand will lead me;

your right hand will hold on to me.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

You see me when I travel

and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, Lord.

You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the grave, you are there.

If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For the music director. Of David. A psalm.

O Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up.

You understand my thought from afar.

You search out my wandering and my lying down,

and are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word yet on my tongue,

but behold, O Yahweh, you know it completely.

You barricade me behind and in front,

and set your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.

It is set high; I cannot prevail against it.

Where can I go from your Spirit,

or where can I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, there you are,

and if I make my bed in Sheol, look! There you are.

If I lift up the wings of the dawn,

and I alight on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand would lead me,

and your right hand would hold me fast.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,

Thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down,

And art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue,

But, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before,

And laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit?

Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:

If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me,

And thy right hand shall hold me.

Public Domain