1 For the lead player, for David, a psalm.
Yahweh, You have probed me and known me.
2 You Yourself know when I linger and rise.
You grasp all my thoughts from afar.
3 My road and my rest You measure,
and all my ways You oversee.
4 Before a word finds my tongue,
look, Yahweh, You know it fully.
5 Behind and ahead You hedge me,
and You lay Your palm upon me.
6 So wondrous this knowledge for me,
so lofty—I cannot attain it.
7 Where might I go from Your breath,
and where from Your face take flight?
8 If I climb to the heavens: “There You are!”
Or bed down in Sheol: “Look, it’s You!”
9 I could take wing with the dawn,
settle down on the sea’s far side —
10 even there Your hand would lead me,
Your right hand firmly grip me.
11 I could say: “Gloom will surely engulf me,
the light around me turn to dusk.”
12 Even gloom is not gloomy for You,
and dusk does brighten as the day,
gloominess as the light.
13 For You imagined my inmost parts,
layered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I acclaim You, for You are fearsome and wondrous.
How wondrous Your workings!
My being knows full well.
15 My bones were not concealed from You
when You wrought me in secret,
wove me in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes watched my embryo.
And on Your scroll they all were written,
my days ordained, though none yet was.
17 And to me how precious Your thoughts, God,
how vast their sum —
18 their count exceeds the sands.
I awake and am still with You.
19 Would that You would slay the wicked, God,
and men of bloodshed divert from me,
20 who speak of You deviously,
who rise up vainly — Your foes.
21 Do I not hate them who hate You, Yahweh,
and loathe them who loathe You?
22 With full hatred I hate them!
They have become my nemeses.
23 Probe me, God, and know my heart,
sift me, and know my agitations,
24 and see if any vexing way be in me,
and lead me in the ancient way.
Awesome...the true meaning of the word!