The Lord Who Knows All Things

Psalms 138

David marvels that the Lord knows his every thought, word, and path, that no place in heaven, the depths, or the sea lies beyond his presence, and that he formed him in secret in the womb, then asks God to slay the wicked who hate the Lord and to search his own heart and lead him in an everlasting way.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonO LORD, Thou hast proved me and known me. Thou knowest my sitting down and my rising up.

BrentonFor the end, a Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me.

GreekΕἰς τὸ τέλος, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυίδ. Κύριε ἐδοκίμασάς με, καὶ ἔγνως με.

KJVO LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

JPSFor the Leader. A Psalm of David. O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me. .

ThomsonThou from afar understandest my thoughts.

BrentonThou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising: thou understandest my thoughts long before.

GreekΣὺ ἔγνως τὴν καθέδραν μου, καὶ τὴν ἔγερσίν μου· σὺ συνῆκας τοὺς διαλογισμούς μου ἀπὸ μακρόθεν.

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

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

ThomsonThou hast tracked my path and my line: and hast seen distinctly all my ways—

BrentonThou hast traced my path and my bed, and hast foreseen all my ways.

GreekΤὴν τρίβον μου καὶ τὴν σχοῖνόν μου ἑξιχνίασας· καὶ πάσας τὰς ὁδούς μου προεῖδες,

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

JPS—

Thomsonthat there is not an evil word on my tongue.

BrentonFor there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things,

Greekὅτι οὐκ ἔστι λόγος ἄδικος ἐν γλώσσῃ μου· ἰδοὺ Κύριε, σὺ ἔγνως πάντα

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

JPSFor there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.

ThomsonBehold Thou, O Lord, knowest all things—the last and the things of earliest date. Thou hast formed me and laid Thy hand on me.

Brentonthe last and the first: thou hast fashioned me, and laid thine hand upon me.

Greekτὰ ἔσχατα καὶ τὰ ἀρχαῖα· σὺ ἔπλασάς με καὶ ἔθηκας ἐπʼ ἐμὲ τὴν χεῖρά σου.

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

JPSThou hast hemmed me in behind and before, And laid Thy hand upon me.

ThomsonThis knowledge of Thine is too wonderful for me. It is great beyond my comprehension.

BrentonThe knowledge of thee is too wonderful for me; it is very difficult, I cannot attain to it.

GreekἘθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσίς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ, ἐκραταιώθη, οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πρὸς αὐτήν.

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

JPSSuch knowledge is too wonderful for me; Too high, I cannot attain unto it.

ThomsonWhither can I go from Thy spirit? And from Thy presence whither can I flee?

BrentonWhither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither shall I flee from thy presence?

GreekΠοῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου ποῦ φύγω;

KJVWhither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

JPSWhither shall I go from Thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?

ThomsonIf I ascend up to heaven, Thou art there. If I go down to the mansion of the dead, there Thou art.

BrentonIf I should go up to heaven, thou art there: if I should go down to hell, thou art present.

GreekἘὰν ἀναβῶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, σὺ ἐκεῖ εἶ· ἐὰν καταβῶ εἰς τὸν ᾅδην, πάρει.

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

JPSIf I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in the nether-world, behold, Thou art there.

Thomson—

BrentonIf I should spread my wings to fly straight forward, and sojourn at the extremity of the sea, it would be vain,

GreekἘὰν ἀναλάβω τὰς πτέρυγάς μου κατʼ ὀρθὸν, καὶ κατασκηνώσω εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα τῆς θαλάσσης,

KJV—

JPS—

Thomsoneven there Thy hand will guide me; and Thy right hand will restrain me.

Brentonfor even there thy hand would guide me, and thy right hand would hold me.

Greekκαὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ ἡ χείρ σου ὁδηγήσει με, καὶ καθέξει με ἡ δεξιά σου.

KJVEven there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

JPSEven there would Thy hand lead me, And Thy right hand would hold me.

ThomsonWhen I said, Darkness will surely trample me down: then to my great joy, night was luminous.

BrentonWhen I said, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night was light in my luxury.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπα, ἄρα σκότος καταπατήσει με, καὶ νὺξ φωτισμὸς ἐν τῇ τρυφῇ μου.

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

JPSAnd if I say: ‘Surely the darkness shall envelop me, And the light about me shall be night';

ThomsonFor darkness cannot darken from Thee; even night can be made light as day: the darkness of that, as the light of this.

BrentonFor darkness will not be darkness with thee; but night will be light as day: as its darkness, so shall its light be to thee.

GreekὍτι σκότος οὐ σκοτισθήσεται ἀπὸ σοῦ, καὶ νὺξ ὡς ἡμέρα φωτισθήσεται· ὡς τὸ σκότος αὐτῆς, οὕτως καὶ τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς.

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

JPSEven the darkness is not too dark for Thee, But the night shineth as the day; The darkness is even as the light.

ThomsonBecause Thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins—hast supported me from my mother’s womb;

BrentonFor thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins; thou hast helped me from my mother's womb.

GreekὍτι σὺ ἐκτήσω τοὺς νεφρούς μου Κύριε, ἀντελάβου μου ἐκ γαστρὸς μητρός μου.

KJVFor thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

JPSFor Thou hast made my reins; Thou hast knit me together in my mother's womb.

ThomsonI will adore Thee, for Thou art awfully wonderful. Thy works are wonderful; as my soul well knoweth.

BrentonI will give thee thanks; for thou art fearfully wondrous; wondrous are thy works; and my soul knows it well.

GreekἘξομολογήσομαί σοι, ὅτι φοβερῶς ἐθαυμαστώθης· θαυμάσια τὰ ἔργα σου, καὶ ἡ ψυχή μου γινώσκει σφόδρα.

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

JPSI will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Thomson—

BrentonMy bones which thou madest in secret were not hidden from thee, nor my substance, in the lowest parts of the earth.

GreekΟὐκ ἐκρύβη τὸ ὀστοῦν μου ἀπὸ σοῦ, ὃ ἐποίησας ἐν κρυφῇ, καὶ ἡ ὑπόστασίς μου ἐν τοῖς κατωτάτω τῆς γῆς.

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

JPSMy frame was not hidden from Thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

ThomsonWhen my substance was in the lowest parts of the earth; Thine eyes beheld the unwrought part of me. When on Thy book all shall be enrolled; they will day by day be fashioned.

BrentonThine eyes saw my unwrought substance, and all men shall be written in thy book; they shall be formed by day, though there should for a time be no one among them.

GreekἈκατέργαστόν μου εἶδου οἱ ἀφθαλμοί σου, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ βιβλίον σου πάντες γραφήσονται· ἡμέρας πλασθήσονται καὶ οὐθεὶς ἐν αὐτοῖς.

KJVThine 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.

JPSThine eyes did see mine unformed substance, And in Thy book they were all written— Even the days that were fashioned, When as yet there was none of them.

Thomson—

BrentonBut thy friends, O God, have been greatly honoured by me; their rule has been greatly strengthened.

GreekἘμοὶ δὲ λίαν ἐτιμήθησαν οἱ φίλοι σου ὁ Θεὸς, λίαν ἐκραταιώθησαν αἱ ἀρχαὶ αὐτῶν.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonWere I to number them, they would surpass the sand. I have been raised up and am still with Thee.

BrentonI will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand; I awake, and am still with thee.

GreekἘξαριθμήσομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ ὑπὲρ ἄμμον πληθυνθήσονται· ἐξηγέρθην, καὶ ἔτι εἰμὶ μετὰ σοῦ.

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

JPSIf I would count them, they are more in number than the sand; Were I to come to the end of them, I would still be with Thee.

ThomsonSince Thou, O God, slayest sinners: begone from me ye bloody men.

BrentonOh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, ye men of blood.

GreekἘὰν ἀποκτείνῃς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ὁ Θεός· ἄνδρες αἱμάτων ἐκκλίνατε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ,

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

JPSIf Thou but wouldest slay the wicked, O God— Depart from me therefore, ye men of blood;

ThomsonFor in answer to their reasoning Thou wilt say, In vain shall they take these cities of thine.

BrentonFor thou wilt say concerning their thought, that they shall take thy cities in vain.

Greekὅτι ἐρεῖς εἰς διαλογισμόν· λήψονται εἰς ματαιότητα τὰς πόλεις σου.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonHave I not, O Lord, hated them who hate Thee; and been melted for them who are Thine enemies!

BrentonHave I not hated them, O Lord, that hate thee? and wasted away because of thine enemies?

GreekΟὐχὶ τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε Κύριε ἐμίσησα, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ἐξετηκόμην;

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

JPSDo not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? And do not I strive with those that rise up against Thee?

ThomsonWith perfect hatred I have hated them—I have accounted them mine enemies.

BrentonI have hated them with perfect hatred; they were counted my enemies.

GreekΤέλειον μῖσος ἐμίσουν αὐτοὺς, εἰς ἐχθροὺς ἐγένοντό μοι.

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

JPSI hate them with utmost hatred; I count them mine enemies.

ThomsonTry me, O God, and know my heart: examine me and know my ways;

BrentonProve me, O God, and know my heart; examine me, and know my paths;

GreekΔοκίμασόν με ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ γνῶθι τὴν καρδίαν μου· ἔτασόν με, καὶ γνῶθι τὰς τρίβους μου.

KJVSearch me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

JPSSearch me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts;

Thomsonand see if there be in me any trace of iniquity; and lead me in an everlasting way.

Brentonand see if there is any way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.

GreekΚαὶ ἴδε εἰ ὁδὸς ἀνομίας ἐν ἐμοὶ, καὶ ὁδήγησόν με ἐν ὁδῷ αἰωνίᾳ.

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

JPSAnd see if there be any way in me that is grievous, And lead me in the way everlasting.