Psalm 139

W. van der Kamp, 1972

1. O LORD my God, Thou searchest me;
   My heart and mind are known to Thee!
   No things are hidden from Thine eyes
   When I sit down and when I rise,
   And from afar Thou art discerning
   My thoughts and hopes, my secret yearning.
   
2. Thou knowest all and Thou dost trace
   My journey and my resting-place.
   The ways I go are clear to Thee,
   And all my doings Thou dost see.
   My tongue, though silent, is revealing
   The inmost thoughts I am concealing.
   
3. Thou art before me and behind
   And Thou hast probed my heart and mind;
   Upon me Thou hast laid Thy hand.
   O LORD, how could I understand
   Thy wondrous knowledge or explain it,
   So high that I cannot attain it!
   
4. Where can I from Thy Spirit flee?
   Where do I find escape from Thee?
   If I to heaven’s height ascend,
   Then I shall there before Thee stand.
   The grave can from Thy eyes not hide me,
   For even there Thou art beside me.
   
5. If at the break of dawn I wake
   And then the wings of morning take
   To fly into the farthest sea,
   And dwell there, far away from Thee,
   Then even there Thy hand shall lead me
   And Thy right hand shall hold and heed me.
   
6. If I say, “Let the gloom of night
   Surround me, hide me, from Thy sight,”
   Then darkness is not dark to Thee;
   Through blackest night Thou seest me.
   With Thee the night is never lightless;
   Before Thy eyes the dark is brightness.
   
7. My inward parts were formed by Thee,
   For Thou, my God, didst fashion me
   When in my mother’s womb I grew
   And neither light nor darkness knew.
   With awe, with reverent admiration,
   I praise Thy wonderful creation.
   
8. My frame was not concealed from Thee
   When I was fashioned secretly,
   Wrought in the hidden depths of earth.
   Before my mother gave me birth,
   Thy eyes did in the womb behold me;
   Thou didst with love and care enfold me.
   
9. My unformed substance Thou didst see,
   And all the days allotted me -
   When of them there as yet was none -
   Thou hast recorded, every one.
   Their number, LORD, Thou hast decided
   And in Thy book for me provided.
   
10. How precious are Thy thoughts to me,
    How vast their sum, their mystery.
    If I would count them they are more
    Than all the sand upon the shore.
    Thou art my God, Thy hand is with me;
    When I awake I still am with Thee.
    
11. O God, if only Thou wouldst slay
    The wicked, in their pride astray.
    O let them all from me depart,
    Those men of blood and evil heart,
    Men who maliciously defy Thee,
    Who plan rebellion and deny Thee.
    
12. Do I not hate those who hate Thee?
    O LORD my God, Thou knowest me;
    Those who in pride against Thee rise,
    Thy enemies, I do despise.
    With perfect hatred do I hate them;
    May woes and misery await them!
    
13. Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    See if I from Thy ways depart.
    Try me and judge my inmost thought,
    And let me by Thy Word be taught.
    Keep me from wicked ways and heed me;
    In everlasting ways do lead me.