King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
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To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me!
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
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Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
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Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted 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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Even before a word is on my tongue, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
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Thou dost beset me behind and before, and layest thy 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; it is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
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Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy 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 ascend to heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art 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 take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
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even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
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, "Let only darkness cover me, and the light about me be night,"
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 is not dark to thee, the night is bright as the day; for darkness is as light with thee.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
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For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst 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 thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right 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 thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought 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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Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
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 thy thoughts, O 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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If I would count them, they are more than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
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O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God, and that men of blood would depart from me,
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
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men who maliciously defy thee, who lift themselves up against thee for evil!
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 them that hate thee, O LORD? And do I not loathe them that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
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I hate them with perfect hatred; 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, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
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And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.