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Christian prayer

Psalm 139

Psalm 139 from the Bible, with the original text and its meaning.

  • 24 verses
  • About 1 minute to recite
  • From the Bible

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  1. 1

    לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִ֣ד מִזְמ֑וֹר יְהוָ֥ה חֲ֝קַרְתַּ֗נִי וַתֵּדָֽע׃

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

  2. 2

    אַתָּ֣ה יָ֭דַעְתָּ שִׁבְתִּ֣י וְקוּמִ֑י בַּ֥נְתָּה לְ֝רֵעִ֗י מֵרָחֽוֹק׃

    Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

  3. 3

    אָרְחִ֣י וְרִבְעִ֣י זֵרִ֑יתָ וְֽכָל־דְּרָכַ֥י הִסְכַּֽנְתָּה׃

    Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

  4. 4

    כִּ֤י אֵ֣ין מִ֭לָּה בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֑י הֵ֥ן יְ֝הוָ֗ה יָדַ֥עְתָּ כֻלָּֽהּ׃

    For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

  5. 5

    אָח֣וֹר וָקֶ֣דֶם צַרְתָּ֑נִי וַתָּ֖שֶׁת עָלַ֣י כַּפֶּֽכָה׃

    Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

  6. 6

    פלאיה דַ֣עַת מִמֶּ֑נִּי נִ֝שְׂגְּבָ֗ה לֹא־א֥וּכַֽל לָֽהּ׃

    Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

  7. 7

    אָ֭נָ֥ה אֵלֵ֣ךְ מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ וְ֝אָ֗נָה מִפָּנֶ֥יךָ אֶבְרָֽח׃

    Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

  8. 8

    אִם־אֶסַּ֣ק שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑תָּה וְאַצִּ֖יעָה שְּׁא֣וֹל הִנֶּֽךָּ׃

    If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

  9. 9

    אֶשָּׂ֥א כַנְפֵי־שָׁ֑חַר אֶ֝שְׁכְּנָ֗ה בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית יָֽם׃

    If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

  10. 10

    גַּם־שָׁ֭ם יָדְךָ֣ תַנְחֵ֑נִי וְֽתֹאחֲזֵ֥נִי יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

    Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

  11. 11

    וָ֭אֹמַר אַךְ־חֹ֣שֶׁךְ יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה א֣וֹר בַּעֲדֵֽנִי׃

    If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

  12. 12

    גַּם־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ לֹֽא־יַחְשִׁ֪יךְ מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָ וְ֭לַיְלָה כַּיּ֣וֹם יָאִ֑יר כַּ֝חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה כָּאוֹרָֽה׃

    Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

  13. 13

    כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה קָנִ֣יתָ כִלְיֹתָ֑י תְּ֝סֻכֵּ֗נִי בְּבֶ֣טֶן אִמִּֽי׃

    For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

  14. 14

    אֽוֹדְךָ֗ עַ֤ל כִּ֥י נוֹרָא֗וֹת נִ֫פְלֵ֥יתִי נִפְלָאִ֥ים מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י יֹדַ֥עַת מְאֹֽד׃

    I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

  15. 15

    לֹא־נִכְחַ֥ד עָצְמִ֗י מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָּ אֲשֶׁר־עֻשֵּׂ֥יתִי בַסֵּ֑תֶר רֻ֝קַּ֗מְתִּי בְּֽתַחְתִּיּ֥וֹת אָֽרֶץ׃

    My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

  16. 16

    גָּלְמִ֤י ׀ רָ֘א֤וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וְעַֽל־סִפְרְךָ֮ כֻּלָּ֪ם יִכָּ֫תֵ֥בוּ יָמִ֥ים יֻצָּ֑רוּ ולא אֶחָ֣ד בָּהֶֽם׃

    Thine 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.

  17. 17

    וְלִ֗י מַה־יָּקְר֣וּ רֵעֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑ל מֶ֥ה עָ֝צְמוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶֽם׃

    How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

  18. 18

    אֶ֭סְפְּרֵם מֵח֣וֹל יִרְבּ֑וּן הֱ֝קִיצֹ֗תִי וְעוֹדִ֥י עִמָּֽךְ׃

    If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

  19. 19

    אִם־תִּקְטֹ֖ל אֱל֥וֹהַּ ׀ רָשָׁ֑ע וְאַנְשֵׁ֥י דָ֝מִ֗ים ס֣וּרוּ מֶֽנִּי׃

    Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

  20. 20

    אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹ֭אמְרֻךָ לִמְזִמָּ֑ה נָשֻׂ֖א לַשָּׁ֣וְא עָרֶֽיךָ׃

    For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

  21. 21

    הֲלֽוֹא־מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ אֶשְׂנָ֑א וּ֝בִתְקוֹמְמֶ֗יךָ אֶתְקוֹטָֽט׃

    Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

  22. 22

    תַּכְלִ֣ית שִׂנְאָ֣ה שְׂנֵאתִ֑ים לְ֝אוֹיְבִ֗ים הָ֣יוּ לִֽי׃

    I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

  23. 23

    חָקְרֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל וְדַ֣ע לְבָבִ֑י בְּ֝חָנֵ֗נִי וְדַ֣ע שַׂרְעַפָּֽי׃

    Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

  24. 24

    וּרְאֵ֗ה אִם־דֶּֽרֶךְ־עֹ֥צֶב בִּ֑י וּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עוֹלָֽם׃

    And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians recite Psalm 139 in personal prayer, during worship or when reflecting on God's knowledge and care. It is also used in times of uncertainty or self-examination, especially for its closing request for God to search the heart and guide the way.

  • Personal prayer
  • Worship
  • Self-examination
  • Times of uncertainty

Where it comes from

Psalm 139 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Bible and belongs to the scriptural heritage Christianity shares with Judaism. Its heading attributes it to David. Originally written in Hebrew, it addresses God directly with wonder, searching questions and a plea for guidance.

In the libraryThe King James Version of the BibleSee the book

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Questions about Psalm 139

How many verses are in Psalm 139?

Psalm 139 has 24 verses.

What is Psalm 139 about?

It reflects on God's intimate knowledge of the speaker, God's presence wherever the speaker goes and God's care in forming life in the womb. It also contains strong words against God's enemies before ending with a request for God to search and guide the speaker.

Who wrote Psalm 139?

The psalm's heading attributes it to David, and it is traditionally associated with him. The heading does not establish its precise date of composition.

When do Christians pray Psalm 139?

Many Christians pray it during personal devotion or worship, particularly when seeking guidance or examining their thoughts and actions. It can also give words to prayer when someone feels uncertain or alone.

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