Psalm 139

I was reading Psalm 139 with students in my Young Entrepreneur Project summer program yesterday, and was encouraged by God's heart for us struggling humans here on earth. So I thought I'd share a few verses. It's from the New Living Translation (read it out loud with a friend so you can listen to the words too. The NLT was translated specifically for hearing the Word.)

(and by the way, the students loved these verses. I've never seen them take God's word to heart more powerfully than these verses.)


O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my every thought when far away.

You chart the path ahead of me
and tell me where to stop and rest.
Every moment you know where I am.

You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.

You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to know!

I can never escape from your spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!

If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.

If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.

I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night-

but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are both alike to you.