1To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David. O Lord, thou hast tried me and knowen me.

2Thou knowest my sitting and my rising: thou vnderstandest my thought afarre off.

3Thou compassest my pathes, and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my wayes.

4For there is not a word in my tongue, but loe, thou knowest it wholy, O Lord.

5Thou holdest mee straite behinde and before, and layest thine hand vpon me.

6Thy knowledge is too wonderfull for mee: it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it.

7Whither shall I goe from thy Spirite? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8If I ascende into heauen, thou art there: if I lye downe in hell, thou art there.

9Let mee take the winges of the morning, and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea:

10Yet thither shall thine hand leade me, and thy right hand holde me.

11If I say, Yet the darkenes shall hide me, euen the night shalbe light about me.

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

13For thou hast possessed my reines: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe.

14I will praise thee, for I am fearefully and wonderously made: marueilous are thy workes, and my soule knoweth it well.

15My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and facioned beneath in the earth.

16Thine 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.

17Howe deare therefore are thy thoughtes vnto me, O God! how great is ye summe of them!

18If I should count them, they are moe then the sand: when I wake, I am still with thee.

19Oh that thou wouldest slay, O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from mee:

20Which speake wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine.

21Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and doe not I earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee?

22I hate them with an vnfained hatred, as they were mine vtter enemies.

23Try mee, O God, and knowe mine heart: prooue me and know my thoughtes,

24And consider if there be any way of wickednes in me, and leade me in the way for euer.