¶ 1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David. O Lord, thou hast tried me and knowen me.
2 Thou knowest my sitting and my rising: thou vnderstandest my thought afarre off.
3 Thou compassest my pathes, and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my wayes.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but loe, thou knowest it wholy, O Lord.
5 Thou holdest mee straite behinde and before, and layest thine hand vpon me.
6 Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee: it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it.
7 Whither shall I goe from thy Spirite? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascende into heauen, thou art there: if I lye downe in hell, thou art there.
9 Let mee take the winges of the morning, and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea:
10 Yet thither shall thine hand leade me, and thy right hand holde me.
11 If I say, Yet the darkenes shall hide me, euen the night shalbe light about me.
12 Yea, the darkenes hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkenes and light are both alike.
13 For thou hast possessed my reines: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe.
14 I will praise thee, for I am fearefully and wonderously made: marueilous are thy workes, and my soule knoweth it well.
15 My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and facioned beneath in the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see me, when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written, which in continuance were facioned, when there was none of them before.
17 Howe deare therefore are thy thoughtes vnto me, O God! how great is ye summe of them!
18 If I should count them, they are moe then the sand: when I wake, I am still with thee.
19 Oh that thou wouldest slay, O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from mee:
20 Which speake wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine.
21 Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and doe not I earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee?
22 I hate them with an vnfained hatred, as they were mine vtter enemies.
23 Try mee, O God, and knowe mine heart: prooue me and know my thoughtes,
24 And consider if there be any way of wickednes in me, and leade me in the way for euer.