Commentary on Psalms - Volume 5

1O Jehovah! thou hast searched me and known me

2Thou hast known my down sitting and my uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

3My path and my lying down thou besiegest, And with all my ways thou art acquainted.

4For there is not a word in my tongue [But] lo! O God! thou knowest it altogether.

5Behind and before thou hast shut me up, And hast laid upon me thy hand.

6Wonderful is thy knowledge above me; It is high, I cannot attain to it.

7Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? And whither from thy time shall I flee?

8If I ascend up into the heavens, there thou art; If I lie down ⁴⁰¹ in the sepulcher, behold! thou [art there.]

9Should I take the wings of the morning, That I may dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10Even there thy hand shall lead me, And hold me shall thy right hand.

11If I should say: “At least the darkness shall cover me; ” “And the night shall be light for me;“

12Even the darkness shall not hide from the And the night as the day shall shine, And the darkness as the light.

13For thou hast possessed my reins; Thou hast covered me in the womb of my mother.

14I will celebrate thee; for I have been fearfully and wonderfully made: ⁴⁰² Marvelous are thy works, And my soul shall know them full well.

15Not hidden is my strength from thee, Which thou hast made in secret: I was woven together in the lowest parts of the earth.

16My shapelessness see did thine eyes; ⁴⁰³ In thy book all shall be written; They were formed in many days, And there was not one of them.

17And towards me how precious are thy thoughts, O God! How great are the sums of them!

18If I should count them; above the sand they shall be multiplied: I am awakened, and still I am with thee.

19If thou shalt slay, O God! the wicked, Then ye men of bloods depart from me.

20Who have spoken of thee wickedly: Taken thy name falsely have thy adversaries.

21Thy haters, O Jehovah! shall not I hate? And with those that rise up against thee shall I not strive?

22With perfect hatred I have hated them, As my enemies I have held them.

23Search me, O God! and know my heart: Examine me and know my thoughts.

24And know whether the way of wickedness be in me, And lead me in the way of this life.