Psalms

Psalm 139:1–6

¹For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

O LORD, You have searched me

and known me.

²You know when I sit and when I rise;

You understand my thoughts from afar.

³You search out my path and my lying down;

You are aware of all my ways.

⁴Even before a word is on my tongue,

You know all about it, O LORD.

⁵You hem me in behind and before;

You have laid Your hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
A Psalm	מִזְמ֑וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָוִ֣ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
O LORD	יְהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
You have searched me	חֲ֝קַרְתַּ֗נִי	ḥă·qar·ta·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H2713 search
and known me	וַתֵּדָֽע׃	wat·tê·ḏā‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You	אַתָּ֣ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
know	יָ֭דַעְתָּ	yā·ḏa‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know
when I sit	שִׁבְתִּ֣י	šiḇ·tî	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
and when I rise	וְקוּמִ֑י	wə·qū·mî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
You understand	בַּ֥נְתָּה	ban·tāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H995 discern
my thoughts	לְ֝רֵעִ֗י	lə·rê·‘î	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7454 shouting, roar
from afar	מֵרָחֽוֹק׃	mê·rā·ḥō·wq	Preposition-m; Adjective - masculine singular	H7350 distant, far

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You search out	זֵרִ֑יתָ	zê·rî·ṯā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H2219 scatter, fan, winnow
my path	אָרְחִ֣י	’ā·rə·ḥî	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H732 wander, journey, go
and my lying down	וְרִבְעִ֣י	wə·riḇ·‘î	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H7252 lie stretched out, lie down
You are aware	הִסְכַּֽנְתָּה׃	his·kan·tāh	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5532 be of use of service, benefit
of all	וְֽכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
my ways	דְּרָכַ֥י	də·rā·ḵay	Noun - common plural construct; first person common singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
before a word	מִ֭לָּה	mil·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4405 word, speech, utterance
is on my tongue	בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֑י	bil·šō·w·nî	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H3956 tongue
You know	יָדַ֥עְתָּ	yā·ḏa‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know
all about it	כֻלָּֽהּ׃	ḵul·lāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H3605 the whole, all
O LORD	יְ֝הוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You hem me in	צַרְתָּ֑נִי	ṣar·tā·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6696 confine, bind, besiege
behind	אָח֣וֹר	’ā·ḥō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H268 the hinder side, back part
and before	וָקֶ֣דֶם	wā·qe·ḏem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6924 front, east, aforetime
You have laid	וַתָּ֖שֶׁת	wat·tā·šeṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7896 put, set
Your hand	כַּפֶּֽכָה׃	kap·pe·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan
upon me	עָלַ֣י	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
knowledge	דַ֣עַת	ḏa·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
too wonderful	פִּלְאִיָּה	pil·ʾī·yå̄h	Adjective - feminine singular	H6383 wonderful, incomprehensible
for me	מִמֶּ֑נִּי	mim·men·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
too lofty	נִ֝שְׂגְּבָ֗ה	niś·gə·ḇāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7682 be
for me to attain	א֥וּכַֽל	’ū·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure