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139
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
The Lord Is Always Near
1 You have looked deep
into my heart, Lord,
and you know all about me.
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139
  Chapter recording
List of all recordings of KJV To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
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2 You know when I am resting
or when I am working,
and from heaven
you discover my thoughts.
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2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
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3 You notice everything I do
and everywhere I go.
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3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.  compassest: or, winnowest
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4 Before I even speak a word,
you know what I will say,
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4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
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5 and with your powerful arm
you protect me
from every side.
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5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
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6 I can't understand all of this!
Such wonderful knowledge
is far above me.
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6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
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7 Where could I go to escape
from your Spirit
or from your sight?
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7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
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8 If I were to climb up
to the highest heavens,
you would be there.
If I were to dig down
to the world of the dead
you would also be there.
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8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
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9 Suppose I had wings
like the dawning day
and flew across the ocean.
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9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
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10 Even then your powerful arm
would guide and protect me.
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10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
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11 Or suppose I said, “I'll hide
in the dark
until night comes
to cover me over.”
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11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
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12 But you see in the dark
because daylight and dark
are all the same to you.
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12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. hideth...: Heb. darkeneth not the darkness and...: Heb. as is the darkness, so is the light
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13 You are the one
who put me together
inside my mother's body,
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13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
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14 and I praise you
because of
the wonderful way
you created me.
Everything you do is marvelous!
Of this I have no doubt.
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14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. right...: Heb. greatly
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15 Nothing about me
is hidden from you!
I was secretly woven together
deep in the earth below,
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15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. substance: or, strength, or, body
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16 but with your own eyes
you saw
my body being formed.
Even before I was born,
you had written in your book
everything I would do.
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16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. all...: Heb. all of them which...: or, what days they should be fashioned
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17 Your thoughts are far beyond 
my understanding,
much more than I
could ever imagine.
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17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
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18 I try to count your thoughts,
but they outnumber the grains
of sand on the beach.
And when I awake,
I will find you nearby.
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18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
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19 How I wish that you would kill
all cruel and heartless people
and protect me from them!
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19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
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20 They are always rebelling
and speaking evil of you. w 139.20 you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 20.
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20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
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21 You know I hate anyone
who hates you, Lord,
and refuses to obey.
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21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
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22 They are my enemies too,
and I truly hate them.
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22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
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23 Look deep into my heart, God,
and find out everything
I am thinking.
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23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
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24 Don't let me follow evil ways,
but lead me in the way
that time has proven true.
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24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. wicked...: Heb. way of pain, or, grief
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© 1999 American Bible Society |
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