King James Version KJV
New International Version NIV
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
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You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
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You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
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You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
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Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
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You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
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Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
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Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
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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If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
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If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
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even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
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If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
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.
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even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
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For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
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I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
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My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
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.
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Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
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How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
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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Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
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If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
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They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
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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Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
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I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
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Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
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See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.