Read the Bible

¹ O Yahweh! thou hast searched me, and observed:² Thou, hast observed my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast given heed to my desire, from afar:³ My path and my couch, hast thou examined, and, all my ways, thou well knowest.⁴ Surely there hath not been a word on my tongue, but behold! O Yahweh, thou hast observed it on every side.⁵ Behind and before, hast thou shut me in, and hast laid upon me thy hand: - ⁶ Knowledge, too wonderful, for me! high, I cannot attain to it!

⁷ Whither can I go from thy spirit? or whither, from thy face, can I flee?⁸ If I ascend the heavens, there, thou art! If I spread out hades as my couch, behold thee!⁹ If I mount the wings of the dawn, settle down in the region beyond the sea,¹⁰ Even there, thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.¹¹ If I say, Surely, darkness, shall cover me! then, night, is light about me.¹² Even darkness, will not conceal from thee, - but, night, like day, will shine, So is the darkness, as the light!¹³ For, thou, didst possess thyself of my reins, thou didst weave me together in the womb of my mother.¹⁴ I thank thee, in that fearfully was my being distinguished, Wonderful are thy works, and, mine own soul, is observing them intently!¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, - when I was made in secret, when I was skilfully figured in the lower parts of the earth.¹⁶ Mine unfinished substance, thine eyes beheld, and, in thy book, all the parts thereof were written, - the days they should be fashioned! while yet there was not one among them.

¹⁷ To me, then, how precious have thy desires become, O GOD! How numerous, the heads of them!¹⁸ I would recount them! Beyond the sands, they multiply, I rouse myself - and am still with thee.¹⁹ Wilt thou not, O GOD, slay the lawless one? Therefore, ye men of bloodshed, depart from me!²⁰ For they speak of thee wickedly, Thy foes lift up their hand unto falsehood.²¹ Do I not hate, them who hate thee, O Yahweh? And loathe, them who rise up against thee?²² With completeness of hatred, I hate them, As enemies, have they become to me.²³ Search me, O GOD, and observe my heart, Try me, and observe my cares;²⁴ And see if there be any idol-way in me, and lead me in a way age-abiding.