Psalm 139 N.
Words: Sternhold and Hopkins, The Whole Book of Psalms Collected into English Metre
1 O Lord, thou hast me tried and known,
my sitting down dost know,
My rising up and thoughts far off
thou understand'st also.
2 My path, yea, and my bed likewise
thou art about always,
And by familiar custom art
acquainted with my ways:
3 No word is in my tongue, O Lord,
that is not known to thee;
Thou hast beset me round about,
and laid thy hand on me.
4 Such knowledge is too wonderful,
and past my skill to gain;
It is so high, that I unto
the same cannot attain.
5 From thy all-seeing Spirit then,
Lord, whither shall I go?
Or whither shall I fly away
from thy presence also?
6 For if to heav'n I do climb up,
1o, thou art present there;
In hell if I lie down below,
e'en there thou dost appear:
7 Yea, let me take the morning wings,
and let me go and dwell
E'en in the very utmost parts,
where flowing seas do swell:
8 Yet, certainly there also shall
thy hand me lead and guide,
And thy right hand shall hold me fast,
and make me to abide:
9 Or if I say The darkness shall
shroud me quite from thy sight,
E'en then the night that is most dark
about me shall be light.
10 The darkness hideth not from thee,
but night doth shine as day;
To thee the darkness and the light
are both alike alway.
The Second Part.
11 For thou possess�d hast my reins,
and thou didst cover me,
Within my mother's womb, when I
was there enclosed by thee.
12 Thee will I praise; made fearfully
and wondrously I am;
Thy works are marvelous, right well
my soul doth know the same.
13 My bones they are not hid from thee,
although in secret place
I have been made, and in the earth
beneath I shap�d was.
14 When I was formless, then thy eye
saw me, for in thy book
Were all my members written, and
nought after fashion took.
15 The thoughts therefore of thee, O God,
how dear are they to me
And of them all how very great
the endless numbers be!
16 If I should count them, 1o, their sum
more than the sand they be;
And whensoever I awake
I present am with thee.
17 The wicked and ungodly thou
most certainly wilt slay:
Therefore now, all ye bloody men,
depart from me away.
18 These are the men, O Lord, who speak
most wickedly of thee,
And take thy Name in vain, because
thy enemies they be.
19 Hate I not them that hate thee, Lord,
and that in earnest wise
Am I not griev�d with all those
that up against thee rise?
20 I hate them with a perfect hate,
e'en as my utter foes:
Try me, O God, and know my heart,
my thoughts prove and disclose.
21 Consider, Lord, if wickedness
in me there any be;
And in thy way, O God my guide,
for ever lead thou me.
