¹To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

²Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

³Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

⁴For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

⁵Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

⁷Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

⁸If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

⁹If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

¹⁰Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

¹¹If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

¹²Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

¹³For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

¹⁴I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

¹⁵My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

¹⁶Thine 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.

¹⁷How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

¹⁸If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

¹⁹Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

²⁰For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

²¹Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

²²I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

²³Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

²⁴And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

¹To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;

²Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

³They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

⁴Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

⁵The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

⁶I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

⁷O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

⁸Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

⁹As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

¹⁰Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

¹¹Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

¹²I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

¹³Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

¹A Psalm of David. LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

²Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

³Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

⁴Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

⁵Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

⁶When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

⁷Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

⁸But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

⁹Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

¹Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.

²I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

³When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

⁴I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

⁵I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

⁶Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

⁷Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

¹He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

²When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

³Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.

⁴The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

⁵A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

⁶In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.

⁷The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

⁸Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.

⁹If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

¹⁰The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.

¹¹A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

¹²If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

¹³The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.

¹⁴The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

¹⁵The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

¹⁶When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

¹⁷Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

¹⁸Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

¹⁹A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.

²⁰Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

²¹He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

²²An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

²³A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

²⁴Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

²⁵The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

²⁶Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD.

²⁷An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.