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God’s omnipresence and omniscience.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

139 O Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising;
Thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou [a]searchest out my path and my lying down,
And art acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word in my tongue,
But, lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
Thou hast beset me behind and before,
And laid thy hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?
Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there.
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 [b]overwhelm me,
[c]And the light about me shall be night;
12 Even 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 didst form my [d]inward parts:
Thou didst [e]cover me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
Wonderful are thy works;
And that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My frame was not hidden from thee,
When I was made in secret,
And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance;
And in thy book they were all written,
Even the days that were ordained 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!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
When I awake, I am still with thee.
19 [f]Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God:
Depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.
20 For they [g]speak against thee wickedly,
And thine enemies [h]take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee?
And [i]am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred:
They are become mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart:
Try me, and know my thoughts;
24 And see if there be any [j]wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Prayer for protection against persecutors.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

140 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man;
Preserve me from the violent man:
Who devise mischiefs in their heart;
Continually do they [k]gather themselves together for war.
They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent;
Adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah
Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from the violent man:
Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set gins for me. Selah
I said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God:
Give ear unto the voice of my supplications, O Jehovah.
O Jehovah the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked;
Further not his evil device, lest they exalt themselves. Selah
As for the head of those that compass me about,
Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them:
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into [l]deep pits, whence they shall not rise.
11 [m]An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth:
Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12 I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name:
The upright shall dwell in thy presence.

An evening prayer for sanctification and protection.

A Psalm of David.

141 Jehovah, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me:
Give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.
Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee;
The lifting up of my hands as the evening [n]sacrifice.
Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth;
Keep the door of my lips.
Incline not my heart to any evil thing,
To practise deeds of wickedness
With men that work iniquity:
And let me not eat of their dainties.
Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness;
And let him reprove me, it shall be as oil upon the head;
Let not my head refuse it:
For [o]even in their [p]wickedness shall my prayer continue.
Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock;
And they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
As when one ploweth and cleaveth the earth,
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
For mine eyes are unto thee, O Jehovah the Lord:
In thee do I take refuge; [q]leave not my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,
And from the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
Whilst that I withal [r]escape.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:3 Or, winnowest
  2. Psalm 139:11 Or, cover
  3. Psalm 139:11 Or, Then the night shall be light about me
  4. Psalm 139:13 Hebrew reins.
  5. Psalm 139:13 Or, knit me together
  6. Psalm 139:19 Or, Oh that thou wouldest slay
  7. Psalm 139:20 Or, utter thy name (Hebrew thee). Or, as otherwise read, rebel against thee
  8. Psalm 139:20 Or, lift themselves up against thee for vanity
  9. Psalm 139:21 Or, do not I loathe
  10. Psalm 139:24 Or, way of pain
  11. Psalm 140:2 Or, stir up wars
  12. Psalm 140:10 Or, floods
  13. Psalm 140:11 Hebrew A man of tongue.
  14. Psalm 141:2 Or, oblation
  15. Psalm 141:5 Or, still is my prayer against their wickedness
  16. Psalm 141:5 Or, calamities
  17. Psalm 141:8 Or, pour thou not out my life
  18. Psalm 141:10 Hebrew pass over.