The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away.
You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, Lord.
You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me.
This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”—
even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You.
For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well.
My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.
God, how difficult Your thoughts are for me to comprehend; how vast their sum is!
If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with You.
God, if only You would kill the wicked—you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me—
who invoke You deceitfully. Your enemies swear by You falsely.
Lord, don’t I hate those who hate You, and detest those who rebel against You?
I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.