To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 8,6,8,6 ^1O Lord, thou hast me search'd and known. ^2Thou know'st my sitting down, And rising up; yea, all my thoughts afar to thee are known. ^3My footsteps, and my lying down, thou compassest always; Thou also most entirely art acquaint with all my ways. ^4For in my tongue, before I speak, not any word can be, But altogether, lo, O Lord, it is well known to thee. ^5Behind, before, thou hast beset, and laid on me thine hand. ^6Such knowledge is too strange for me, too high to understand. ^7From thy Sp'rit whither shall I go? or from thy presence fly? ^8Ascend I heav'n, lo, thou art there; there, if in hell I lie. ^9Take I the morning wings, and dwell in utmost parts of sea; ^10Ev'n there, Lord, shall thy hand me lead, thy right hand hold shall me. ^11If I do say that darkness shall me cover from thy sight, Then surely shall the very night about me be as light. ^12Yea, darkness hideth not from thee, but night doth shine as day: To thee the darkness and the light are both alike alway. ^13For thou possessed hast my reins, and thou hast cover'd me, When I within my mother's womb inclosed was by thee. ^14Thee will I praise; for fearfully and strangely made I am; Thy works are marv'llous, and right well my soul doth know the same. ^15My substance was not hid from thee, when as in secret I Was made; and in earth's lowest parts was wrought most curiously. ^16Thine eyes my substance did behold, yet being unperfect; And in the volume of thy book my members all were writ; Which after in continuance were fashion'd ev'ry one, When as they yet all shapeless were, and of them there was none. ^17How precious also are thy thoughts, O gracious God, to me! And in their sum how passing great and numberless they be! ^18If I should count them, than the sand they more in number be: What time soever I awake, I ever am with thee. ^19Thou, Lord, wilt sure the wicked slay: hence from me bloody men. ^20Thy foes against thee loudly speak, and take thy name in vain. ^21Do not I hate all those, O Lord, that hatred bear to thee? With those that up against thee rise can I but grieved be? ^22With perfect hatred them I hate, my foes I them do hold. ^23Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, my thoughts unfold: ^24And see if any wicked way there be at all in me; And in thine everlasting way to me a leader be. |