To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known |me|. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest 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. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 |Such| knowledge |is| too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot |attain| unto it. 7 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|. 9 |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. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about 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|. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me 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. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, |and| curiously wrought in the lowest parts 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. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great 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. 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20 For they speak against thee wickedly, |and| thine enemies take |thy name| in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23 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.