To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me.

For the conductor. [a psalm of] David. O L rd, You probed [my thoughts] and You know [them].

Thou knowst my sitting down and my rising up, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

You know [the thoughts of] my sitting down and arising.

Thou hast measured my going and my lying down, and Thou art acquainted with all my ways.

You understand from afar [how] to endear [Yourself] to me. You compassed my going and my reclinings [i.e., I can do nothing without Your knowing of it], and You are familiar with all of my ways.

For no word is yet on my tongue, and lo, O Lord, Thou knowst it all.

When the word is not yet on my tongue, O L rd, You know all [I am going to say].

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.

You laid siege to me from the rear and from the front, and You set Your rule over me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Knowledge [of escape from You] is concealed from me. It is too formidable. I cannot know it.

Where shall I go from Thy spirit? or where shall I flee from Thy presence?

Where shall I go [to conceal myself] from Your wrath, and where can I run from Your presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in She᾽ol, behold, Thou art there.

If I ascend to the heavens, You are there, and if I bed myself down in Sheol — here You are!

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

If I lifted my wings as the morning star and made the far bounds of the sea my abode,

even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.

there, too, Your hand would direct me, and Your right hand hold on to me.

If I say, Surely only darkness shall cover me; and the light be night about me,

And if I said: "But darkness will obscure me, and night will darken [things] for me,"

even the darkness is not dark for Thee, but the night shines like the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.

darkness, too, will darken nothing from You, and night will shine [for You] as day. Darkness and light are as one [to You].

For Thou hast formed my reins: Thou hast knit me together in my mother’s womb.

For You have acquired my reins [(the center of all my thoughts)]. You covered me [with flesh and skin] in my mother's stomach.

I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and my soul knows that right well.

I will praise You because I was fashioned awesomely and wondrously. Your deeds are wondrous and my soul knows [it] well.

My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

My essence was not hidden from You, though I was fashioned in hiddenness [(the hiddenness of cohabitation)] and tissued in the depths of the earth [i.e., the nethermost part of my mother's womb].

Thy eyes did see my unshaped flesh; for in Thy book all things are written: the days also in which they are to be fashioned, and for it too there was one of them.

[The unfolding of] my form Your eyes [fore-] saw, and in Your book [(the book of the generations of man that You showed to Adam [viz. Genesis 5:1])], they [(the deeds of all men)] were [all] inscribed, [as if] the days had [already] been created, though none of them [had yet appeared in actuality].

How precious also are Thy thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

And to me [(the congregation of Israel)], how precious are Your dear ones [(the righteous)], O G d. How great are their numbers [(the numbers of their righteous deeds)].

If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with Thee.

If I came to count them, [I would find them] more numerous than the sands of the sea. I have [now] come to the end [of the generations that You have allotted from the beginning], and it [(the present generation)] is still with You [and in fear of You].

Surely Thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, you bloody men,

Would that You slew the wicked, O G d! — "Men of blood, get away from me!"

who speak against Thee wickedly, and Thy enemies, who take Thy name in vain.

They mention You [i.e., Your name] with wicked intent (attributing Your G dliness to idolatry)]. Your foes have taken [Your name] in vain.

Do I not hate, O Lord, those who hate Thee? and do I not strive with those who rise up against Thee?

Will I not hate Your haters, O L rd? Will I not battle with those who rise up against You?

I hate them with the utmost hatred: I count them my enemies.

I have hated them to the heights of hatred. I have deemed them my [own] enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Probe me, O L rd, and know my heart. Examine me and know my thoughts.

and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

And see if a way of vexation [(of the L rd)] is within me. [If it is,] then lead me in the way of the world [(to death)].