Bible in Basic English
You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord.
I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me.
Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it.
Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you?
If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea;
Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me.
If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night;
Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you.
My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body.
I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious.
My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.
How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them!
If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you.
If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood.
For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name.
Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me?
My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me.
O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested:
See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.
— Psalms 139:3-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Thou 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. Suchknowledge 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; Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, And the light about me shall be night; Even the darkness hideth not from thee, But the night shineth as the day: The darkness and the light are both aliketo thee. For thou didst form my inward parts: Thou didst cover me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well. My frame was not hidden from thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Eventhe days that were ordainedfor me, When as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: Depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men. For they speak against thee wickedly, And thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: They are become mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. ”
“Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips. Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me. Who have proposed to supplant my steps: The proud have hidden a net for me. And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumblingblock by the wayside. I said to the Lord: Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication. O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle. Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not thou forsake me, lest they should triumph. The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them. Burning coals shall fall upon them; thou wilt cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand. A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction. I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor. But as for the just, they shall give glory to thy name: and the upright shall dwell with thy countenance. ”
“Thou compassest 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 Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine 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 hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 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. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. ”
O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets.
You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away.
You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord.
I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me.
Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it.
Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you?
If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea;
Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me.
If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night;
Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you.
My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body.
I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious.
My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.
How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them!
If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you.
If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood.
For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name.
Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me?
My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me.
O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested:
See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.