 | The Book of Psalms in English Metre |  |
Psalm CXXXIX.
1
Thou searchest, Lord, and knowest me,To thee all things are bare,
My lying down, my rising up,
My thoughts before they are.
2
My words and all my ways are known,My secret acts are found:
Thy hand can reach me every where,
Thine eye besets me round.
3
This knowledge is too wonderfulFor me to comprehend:
So high above my highest reach
Thy wisdom doth ascend.
4
How shall I from thy spirit go,Which every thing doth see?
Thy presence filleth every place;
Then whither shall I flee?
5
If I to heaven should ascend;Thou sittest there on high:
If down to hell; even hell it self
Is naked to thine eye.
6
If I as swift as morning light,should fly beyond the main:
Thy mighty hand can reach me there,
And fetch me back again.
238
7
If I in darkness hide my self;The night to thee doth shine:
Darkness and light are both alike
To those pure eyes of thine.
8
My reins and all my inward parts,By thee created were:
When I was in my mothers womb,
Thou did'st protect me there.
9
I cannot but admire, O Lord,Thy most amazing art,
Whereby my body was compos'd,
And wrought in every part.
10
When I was formed in the womb,Thou did'st my substance see:
My members in thy book were writ,
And shaped all by thee.
11
How precious are thy thoughts to me!To what a sum they mount!
If I pretend to reckon them,
It is in vain to count.
12
The very sands upon the shoarMay sooner counted be:
For every morning I awake,
Lord I am still with thee.
13
But thou wilt slay the wicked man;Depart, ye bloody train:
That wickedly blaspheme the Lord,
And take his name in vain.
14
Hate I not them that hate the Lord,And up against him rise?
239
And count mine enemies.
15
Search me, O God, and know my heart,And if I do amiss:
O lead me in the way that goes
To everlasting bliss.
| The Book of Psalms in English Metre | |