For the music director, a psalm of David.
139:1 O Lord, you examine me 2 and know.
139:2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;
even from far away you understand my motives.
139:3 You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; 3
you are aware of everything I do. 4
139:4 Certainly 5 my tongue does not frame a word
without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it. 6
139:5 You squeeze me in from behind and in front;
you place your hand on me.
139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;
it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. 7
139:7 Where can I go to escape your spirit?
Where can I flee to escape your presence? 8
139:8 If I were to ascend 9 to heaven, you would be there.
If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. 10
139:9 If I were to fly away 11 on the wings of the dawn, 12
and settle down on the other side 13 of the sea,
139:10 even there your hand would guide me,
your right hand would grab hold of me.
139:11 If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me, 14
and the light will turn to night all around me,” 15
139:12 even the darkness is not too dark for you to see, 16
and the night is as bright as 17 day;
darkness and light are the same to you. 18
139:13 Certainly 19 you made my mind and heart; 20
you wove me together 21 in my mother’s womb.
139:14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. 22
You knew me thoroughly; 23
139:15 my bones were not hidden from you,
when 24 I was made in secret
and sewed together in the depths of the earth. 25
139:16 Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. 26
All the days ordained for me
were recorded in your scroll
before one of them came into existence. 27
139:17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God! 28
How vast is their sum total! 29
139:18 If I tried to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Even if I finished counting them,
I would still have to contend with you. 30
139:19 If only 31 you would kill the wicked, O God!
Get away from me, you violent men! 32
139:20 They 33 rebel against you 34 and act deceitfully; 35
your enemies lie. 36
139:21 O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you,
and despise those who oppose you? 37
139:22 I absolutely hate them, 38
they have become my enemies!
139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts! 39
Test me, and know my concerns! 40
139:24 See if there is any idolatrous tendency 41 in me,
and lead me in the reliable ancient path! 42
For the music director; a psalm of David.
140:1 O Lord, rescue me from wicked men! 44
Protect me from violent men, 45
140:2 who plan ways to harm me. 46
All day long they stir up conflict. 47
140:3 Their tongues wound like a serpent; 48
a viper’s 49 venom is behind 50 their lips. (Selah)
140:4 O Lord, shelter me from the power 51 of the wicked!
Protect me from violent men,
who plan to knock me over. 52
140:5 Proud men hide a snare for me;
evil men 53 spread a net by the path;
they set traps for me. (Selah)
140:6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
O Lord, pay attention to my plea for mercy!
140:7 O sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, 54
you shield 55 my head in the day of battle.
140:8 O Lord, do not let the wicked have their way! 56
Do not allow their 57 plan to succeed when they attack! 58 (Selah)
140:9 As for the heads of those who surround me –
may the harm done by 59 their lips overwhelm them!
140:10 May he rain down 60 fiery coals upon them!
May he throw them into the fire!
From bottomless pits they will not escape. 61
140:11 A slanderer 62 will not endure on 63 the earth;
calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down. 64
140:12 I know 65 that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed
and vindicates the poor. 66
140:13 Certainly the godly will give thanks to your name;
the morally upright will live in your presence.
A psalm of David.
141:1 O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me!
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!
141:2 May you accept my prayer like incense,
my uplifted hands like the evening offering! 68
141:3 O Lord, place a guard on my mouth!
Protect the opening 69 of my lips! 70
141:4 Do not let me have evil desires, 71
or participate in sinful activities
with men who behave wickedly. 72
I will not eat their delicacies. 73
141:5 May the godly strike me in love and correct me!
May my head not refuse 74 choice oil! 75
Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds. 76
141:6 They will be thrown down the side of a cliff by their judges. 77
They 78 will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
141:7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil, 79
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
141:8 Surely I am looking to you, 80 O sovereign Lord.
In you I take shelter.
Do not expose me to danger! 81
141:9 Protect me from the snare they have laid for me,
and the traps the evildoers have set. 82
141:10 Let the wicked fall 83 into their 84 own nets,
while I escape. 85