| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. | 1For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. |
| 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. | 2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. |
| 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. | 3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. |
| 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. | 4Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. |
| 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. | 5You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. |
| 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. | 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. |
| 7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? | 7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? |
| 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. | 8If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. |
| 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; | 9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, |
| 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. | 10even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. |
| 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. | 11If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," |
| 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. | 12even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. |
| 13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. | 13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. |
| 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. | 14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. |
| 15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. | 15My 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. |
| 16Thine 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. | 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. |
| 17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! | 17How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! |
| 18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. | 18Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand-- when I awake, I am still with you. |
| 19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. | 19If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! |
| 20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. | 20They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. |
| 21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? | 21Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? |
| 22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. | 22I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. |
| 23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: | 23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. |
| 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. | 24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. |
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