I was blessed today!

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord


This is how they are blessed:


Psalm 128


1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!


Notice that a person who fears the Lord
walks in his ways - obeys his commands.


 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.


PRODUCTIVITY  - the things you choose to do 
will be blessed; you'll be productive. 


PEACE - it will be well with you; 
even when times are hard, you'll have a settled peace.


 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;


PARTNER - growing, fruitful, alive;  
Your relationship with your wife will grow.


your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.


PROGENY - shoots grow off the main olive root;
They are alive, and growing, and producing.


 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.


 5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!


PROSPERITY - Your life will be blessed and 
you'll have influence on the town in which you live.


 6 May you see your children's children!


PERPETUITY - You'll see your grandchildren,
and perhaps your great-grandchildren, and if you teach
them to fear the Lord and walk in His ways, the blessings
will go on and on.


I personally have experienced all of the above.  I have known what it is to be productive, to plant gardens and have them yield plenty of healthy vegetables, to raise chickens and see them grow to plump, healthy birds that nourish our family.  I have seen my children learn and grow in knowledge and grace.  I've had a little influence in the lives of others who have witnessed me walking by faith.  I've known prosperity and perpetuity, as I see my grandchildren learning to love the Lord.


Today, I was blessed by an unexpected phone call from my married son.  Matthew called to tell me that he was doing his paperwork for his business, and in the process he and his wife were going through papers and came upon a box of memories I had passed along.  They were blessed as they read through his baby book and his calendar of the first year of his life.  Matt was astounded as he read his journals, written under orders from Mom, who made him write a journal every day.  He read the things he had written so many years ago, and it brought back vivid memories.  He called to thank me for MAKING him write things down.


What a blessing to hear that my efforts were not in vain.


Blessed are those who walk with the Lord.   They will be blessed with productivity as they give their days to God.  They will have peace in the midst of their busy days.  They will be a faithful partner to their spouse, and together they'll raise up progeny who will humble them and bless them beyond belief.  They'll experience prosperity, not just in riches, but in family and friends.  And this blessing will go on in perpetuity, as their children and their children's children fear the Lord also, and walk in His ways.


Peace be upon Israel!


Blessed is Everyone Who Fears the Lord!

Our Ways are not His ways...

I look back on 2010 and see that many of the things I planned to do just didn't get done.  Sigh.  


Yet other things were accomplished, to my joy and satisfaction.   The most significant change in our home (to me!) was the addition of a closet for dh, which has had the happy result of making it much easier to keep a clean and organized bedroom.  That fell by the wayside in the days leading up to Christmas, but a whirlwind day of cleaning has rectified the situation.


Our living room was mostly re-done.  We stripped off the wallpaper and painted.  There are a few pieces of trim that need to be put up, and the floor definitely needs to be dealt with, but overall, it's a nice, welcoming room.  My favourite spot is my little desk, where I sit each morning with a coffee and my Bible and notebooks and pens and a ruler.  It's where I find peace and joy and strength for the day ahead.  


I didn't keep up with the garden; my neck and shoulder hurt too much.  But we did raise 130 meat birds and did the processing* ourselves.  (*euphemism for decapitation and gutting.)


We sorted out the library and got rid of many books that we don't need any more.  With the youngest going on 12, we don't need picture books or books for younger grades.  Of course, because we're bookaholics it's hard to get rid of books, and others seem to find their way into our home.  Don't know how that happens...


The biggest thing we accomplished as a family was learning to work through difficult situations and relationships by leaning on the wisdom of God.  The trials will never end, not this side of heaven, but the joy of walking with God and doing the work He has prepared beforehand for us to do outweighs by far the troubles we experience on the journey.


The work of a homemaker never really ends.  There are always meals to prepare, mountains of laundry to tackle, toilets to scrub, children to teach and train, walls to paint [again!], gardens to plan, soil to till, lawns to mow, flower beds to weed... and the list goes on.  


There's a Time for Everything:

A Time for Everything

3 For everything there is a season, and l a time for every matter under heaven:

 2 a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

 8 a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has a made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.

It really doesn't matter that we didn't get everything on the list done.  What matters is that we learned to take pleasure in the journey, in the process - not in the results.

In the words of Thomas Merton, "Do not depend on the hope of results... you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself."

Enjoy 2011!  Do what you do with joy and confidence that God has given you the ability and means to do it.  

Enjoy Life with the One You Love

7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.

9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,  for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

May you have a blessed 2011.

From a Slave to a Child; From Duty to a Choice

Love Constraining to Obedience

Chorus: To see the Law by Christ fulfilled,
To hear His pardoning voice,
Changes a slave into a child
And duty into choice.

1. No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the Lord aright
And what she has, she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.

(Repeat chorus)

2. How long beneath the Law I lay
In bondage and distress
I toiled the precept to obey,
But toiled without success.

(Repeat chorus)

3. Then to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do
Now if I feel its power within
I feel I hate it too.
(Repeat chorus)

4. Then all my servile works were done,
A righteousness to raise
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose His ways.

(Repeat chorus)

©1998 Kevin Twit Music.

I was listening to this song on the way to church the other day.  

I asked the children (the three youngest of our twelve) if they understood
 the meaning of the words.

We were all required to obey God perfectly.  We were under the law,
and commanded to obey each precept.  We tried, and failed.
We toiled without success.

So God the Father gave His only begotten Son, who obeyed the Law
and fulfilled all of its requirements.

Then, He pardoned His children on the merits of Christ's finished work.  

All of our servile works were done in order to make ourselves righteous,
but it was an impossible task.

But JESUS did it.  

Now we obey God, not out of duty, but because of love's constraining power.  

We are no longer slaves, but SONS.  

Mudding

I like mudding. It's fun to cover up the flaws, to get the wall as even as possible. It's really something to see how a bit of sanding after the mud dries leaves a perfectly flat surface that is ready to be painted.

I mudded my husband's new closet today. My shoulder hurts, my neck hurts, and I am stiff and sore all over. But the closet is nearly done. I can't wait to get it finished, because it will be beautiful and practical.

As I worked away this afternoon, I thought about the spiritual lessons I could learn from this job. It took a lot more mud than I anticipated, because there were a lot of flaws. God applies lots of mud to our flaws, too, and it takes a lot more work than we think it will at the beginning of the journey. God, the Master Mudder, patiently works away, applying mud (in the form of correction, using His Word, or preaching, or rebuke from a faithful friend) then sanding away the excess (He hedges us in behind and before; He orders our steps; He removes those things in our lives that are distracting us from the goal of being more and more like Christ). He doesn't give up until He is satisfied with the result - Sanctification, Christlikeness, Holiness, Purity.

When I finish the prep work and paint the closet, I will still know that there are holes and gaps and curves where the wall should be straight. I will know that the holes and gaps are simply covered over. But I will choose to see the beautiful walls and will choose to use the closet for the purpose for which it was designed.

God looks at His children and knows their frame. He sees their flaws. But He chooses to view them through the blood of Jesus Christ, which washes them white as snow. He chooses to remove their sins as far as the east is from the west, and He covers over their sins. He chooses to use us to accomplish His purposes! We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Blessed; Truly blessed - Matthew 5

Blessed are the poor in spirit, those without the pride of life that lifts them up. Those who recognize that without God, they are nothing but needy wretches, helpless to do that which is pure and right and good and holy, are truly blessed.

Blessed are those who mourn. How sick I am of the mess I'm in. I try to do better, to make wise choices, to live my life in the light of eternity. Yet I find myself back in the same old mess from too much self-indulgence. I'm squeezed, crushed by the pressure, feeling discouraged at the state of my affairs. Yet God says that I am blessed when I mourn, for I shall be comforted.

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

True repentance is a remorse for having lost God's approval, accompanied by a resolve to reverse one's conduct and live wholly for God, not for the world's approval. Living with your heart turned toward God is the only way to be blessed.

Jesus says we are blessed if we are persecuted "on My account"... because of our faith in Him and our living for Him. We need to be salt (a preservative, a seasoning, an influence) and light (a living, shining testimony) before the world.

The entire chapter of Matthew 5 builds towards a crescendo... You are blessed if you understand that you are poor and naked and blind and needy. You are blessed if your life is so changed by God that you are merciful and pure and a peacemaker. You are blessed if you live your life in such a way as to be noticed and persecuted by godless men. You'll be salt and light when you live this way.

Jesus goes on to say that this new way of living does not negate the high standards the Law lays out in the Old Testament. He didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, and you'd better pay attention, people. He says, if you don't live more righteously than the Pharisees, you'll never see the kingdom of heaven. (this is my paraphrase of Jesus' words.)

The OT said, don't you murder. I'm saying don't even be angry. The OT said, don't commit adultery. I'm saying, don't even think about lust. Even the thoughts of your heart condemn you.

Jesus went on to set higher standards about divorce (don't do it, except on the rare occasion of repeated adultery), about oaths (don't make an oath at all - let your yes be yes and your no be no), about retaliation (don't do it - be willing to sacrifice and give more and more, rather than retaliating against someone who has hurt you), about enemies (Love them!).

Jesus kept on preaching higher standard, and built his message to this:

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

What?

I have to be perfect?

Impossible. I sin, and I mourn over it. I hide my light. I fail to be salty. I hold grudges against my enemies. My thoughts are wicked. I fight back when I'm hurt.

And you ask me to be perfect?

Sorry, can't do it. I've tried. If I have learned anything over the years, it's this: I cannot live the Christian life. I fail, miserably, daily, all the time.

God's standard is impossible. Jesus' message to the crowds was, You don't have to live according to the law, you have to live BETTER than that. You have to be perfect.

This is where the gospel comes in. This is why I am truly blessed.

1 Timothy 1:16

But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

By the mercy of God, Jesus' perfect life is imputed to me. When God looks at me, He sees someone for whom Christ died.

Hebrews 10:14

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them

after those days, declares the Lord:

I will put my laws on their hearts,

and write them on their minds,”

17 then he adds,

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

So, blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are those who realize they are in need of a Saviour. Blessed are those who have the laws of God on their hearts. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

Overheard...

I am sitting at my computer, checking my email, reading things sent to me today. Normally, by this time of the evening, I am in my bedroom, reading, relaxing, getting ready for bed. But tonight I am sitting here, but it's not what is in front of me that is interesting me.

My son is reading Proverbs to his online friends. My daughter is commenting on those Proverbs. They're talking about Proverbs 22... and I am blessed.

There is no greater joy than to know your children walk in the truth. I listen to Daniel and Linda commenting on the passage they are studying, and I hear the truth. I know they understand the Scriptures. I know they are not young in the faith, but maturing beyond most of their peers.

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

My children walk in the truth.

I know they do... and I am truly joyful.

A Few Words About Grace

I visited Squaw Creek Ranch this morning and read the following words about grace:

From Romans Verse by Verse by William R. Newell, published in 1938.

“A FEW WORDS ABOUT GRACE”

“III. The Proper Attitude of Man under Grace

1. To believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.
2. To refuse to make “resolutions” and “vows”; for that is to trust in the flesh.
3. To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
4. To testify of God’s goodness, at all times.
5. To be certain of God’s future favor; yet to be ever more tender in conscience toward Him.
6. To rely on God’s chastening hand as a mark of His kindness.
7. A man under grace, if like Paul, has no burdens regarding himself; but many about others.

IV. Things Which Gracious Souls Discover

1. To “hope to be better” is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
2. To be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself.
3. To be discouraged is unbelief,-as to God’s purpose and plan of blessing for you.
4. To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
5. The lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion.
6. Real devotion to God arises, not from man’s will to show it; but from the discovery that blessing has been received from God while we were yet unworthy and undevoted.
7. To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God’s order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man’s blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so,-in proper measure.”

~Romans Verse By Verse, pp. 246-247

With Age Comes Wisdom

Or so they say.

But I am getting older (approaching my middle fifties) and am increasingly appalled at my lack of wisdom.

Oh, I can be wise, from time to time. I can say the right thing, and do the right thing. I've learned a thing or two about raising children, about being a wife, about living a life before the face of God. I've had younger women thank me for the influence I've had on their lives, and sadly, all I can say is "you don't know me."

If you really knew me, you'd see that all too often I sin with my mouth. And if that's not bad enough, I act in a manner unbecoming a godly woman. Worse, still, I sin where only God sees it - my thoughts are selfish, proud, demanding.

It's not that I never have wisdom. Praise the Lord, I am His child, bought with the precious blood of Christ. He is working on me, and thankfully, there are evidences of grace in my life.

Proverbs 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

I have a few gray hairs. Just a few. Because I am blond, the gray looks like highlights. My husband, however, has a full crown of glory.

Proverbs 20:29
The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

I'm quite sure that the gray hair isn't the point. The life lived before the face of God, the minutes and hours and days and years spent walking in this world, learning the inevitability of sinful responses and being astounded at the certainty of God's forgiveness in spite of our sin is the point. The ones with gray hair have walked longer. They've stumbled more. They've fallen to their knees and cried out to God, (Romans 7:24) "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

John Piper said it best. Tim Challies wrote about John Piper discussing the topic of growing older. Tim wrote,

he spoke of growing older and his increasing knowledge of his own sin. "The longer I live the less optimistic I am that I will end without sin and the more grateful I become for the blood of Christ imputed to me. As I grow older I do not feel myself becoming gloriously holy but I find myself feeling great love for the gospel."

Psalm 71:18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Oh, Lord, this is my prayer.

Isaiah 46:4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

Oh, Lord, Your promises are sure and certain. They give me hope. You WILL carry me, You will save.

It's always and only about You, God. If we honour the elderly, it's because You have been gracious to them and have worked in their lives. With age comes wisdom, and You are to be praised.

“You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:32

OCHEC

I attended the OCHEC Conference with three of my daughters this past weekend.  I plan to blog in the days to come about each of the sessions I attended.  Unfortunately, I came down with strep throat on the day we left, so I felt rotten and had very little energy.  Therefore, I only heard a few sessions.  

The venue (Hamilton Convention Centre) was clean and the event was well-organized.  There was fresh water available in GLASSES with ICE - a real plus for someone with a sore throat.  The bathrooms were spacious and clean.  OCHEC reps were helpful and polite.  I have no complaints at all about the administration of the conference.  

The vendor hall was smaller than I'd imagined.  Some of the specific curriculum I was interested in wasn't available at any vendor's table.  I was surprised about that.  There was a good variety of curriculum, teaching aids, etc., available, and the vendors were polite and not too pushy.  If I have any major purchases to make, I'll go to the Learning House.  It's local, and I've known the House family for years.  It wouldn't do to go elsewhere.

I'll blog about the speakers I heard, but to finish off this post, I have to mention the Soenen Sisters.  These four young women used instruments and their voices to bless the people.  They have a talent that sent chills up my spine and put goosebumps on my arms.  What a blessing it was to listen to them.  Linda bought one of their cd's, and we listened to it on the way home.

All in all, the OCHEC Conference was an encouragement to me this year.

The Fruit of the Womb is His Reward

Psalm 103:17

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, 

and his righteousness to children's children,

Psalm 128:6

May you see your children's children! 

Peace be upon Israel!

Proverbs 13:22 

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, 

but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Our children are having more children.  I can't tell you how blessed this makes me.  All I can say is that when our grandson Wesley was born in the wee hours of this morning, my heart was filled with joy and thanksgiving.  

God's steadfast love is upon ME, and upon my children, and my children's children.  I have been showered with the privilege of not only seeing my grandchildren, but investing time in their lives.  God has given me days of cuddling, of teaching, of admonishing, of training this new generation.  I have been able to see them grow, not only in stature, but in knowledge of this world and its Creator.  

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children.  I pray that the inheritance our grandchildren receive from us is one of wisdom and knowledge.  I pray that their precious eyes will be opened to the truth that God made them, that He formed them in the secret place of their mother's womb, and that they ought to be grateful.  I pray that they will look up and see not just stars, but stars put there as a feast for their eyes by a God who loves them with a steadfast love.

Welcome to the World, Wesley Scott.  Granny loves you.

Patience is a Virtue

...and it seems the Lord wants me to develop it in my life.

We are all waiting, patiently, for Rachel to birth this baby boy she is carrying.

This pregnancy seems to be lasting FOREVER.  This is because Rachel was two weeks early with the twins, and five days early with two others.  She does not. go. overdue.  At least, she didn't.

But now she does.

And we wait.  And pray.  And wait some more.

Psalm 92 Exemplified...Ron & Audrey Matthews

Our church honoured our dear friends, Ron & Audrey Matthews, yesterday.  This couple, formerly missionaries to Columbia, were instrumental in beginning Grace Trinity Community Church about 8 years ago.  Ron, a retired pastor, was always ready and willing to step in and preach at a moment's notice.  Audrey has been a true Titus 2 example to the other women in the church, both by her life and her teaching.

Now the Matthews have decided to attend a sister church of ours, simply because of distance.  They will miss us, and we will miss them, but those with whom they fellowship will be the richer for their presence.

I told them yesterday that they are living examples of Psalm 92 to me.

92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to sing praises to your name,  O Most High;

 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,

and your faithfulness by night,

 3 to the music of  the lute and the harp,

to the melody of  the lyre.

Ron loves to sing and to play his harmonica, praising the Most High God!

 

4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

 5 How great are your works, O Lord!

Your thoughts are very deep!

Audrey always testifies to the Lord's good work in her life!

 6 The stupid man cannot know;

the fool cannot understand this:

 7 that though the wicked sprout like grass

and all evildoers flourish,

they are doomed to destruction forever;

 8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.

 9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,

for behold, your enemies shall perish;

all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;

you have poured over me  fresh oil.

11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;

my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

Ron & Audrey experienced their share of pain; they have seen evildoers at work, and they know that in the end, all evildoers shall be scattered.

12  The righteous flourish like the palm tree

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They still bear fruit in old age;

they are ever full of sap and green,

15 to declare that the Lord is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Ron & Audrey continue to flourish, to be planted in the house of the Lord.  They bear much fruit as they patiently deal with all the Lord sends their way, and they continually declare that the Lord is upright and their is no unrighteousness in Him!  What an example they set for those of us who are younger!  How I pray that I, too, will bear fruit in my old age!

Ron and Audrey were uncomfortable with the praise and accolades of God's people.  Ron insisted that all of the glory belongs to the Lord!  He quoted the following verse:

To Your Name Give Glory

115 a Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
b for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

God is faithful, and His love is steadfast.  He has proved Himself over and over again in the lives of these His servants.  We are privileged to know them and to follow their example.

GPS

I received this offer tucked into our Reader's Digest magazine.  It's not the first time someone has tried to market a GPS device to me.  Sometimes I answer online surveys, and one of the perks for doing that is that I get a chance to win something... like a GPS device, or a toaster, or a new laptop.  It's doubtful I'll ever win something, and I really don't care.  I fill out the surveys for the fun of it.

With the numerous offers of a GPS device coming at me, it's made me think about it.  Would I want one?  How important would it be to me to have something on my dashboard that lets me know where I am, and in what direction I'm heading, and how soon I'll be approaching a coffee shop?  

The thing is, I like maps.  I like to figure out where we are by looking at the signs and the landmarks.  

The other thing is, I hate talking computers.  I studiously avoid going to those self-checkouts that admonish me to hurry up and "Put the item in the bag."  Even though the computer voice thanks me for shopping at Zehrs, I'd far rather wait in line for a checkout girl.  The computer-generated talking is far too annoying.  

My car is equipped with a direction indicator on the mirror, and I like that.  (It doesn't try to talk to me...it just lights up with a N, S, E or W!)  With that feature and a map handy, I highly doubt I'll ever get lost.  And I'll never have to put up with a nasty computer voice telling me to "turn right at the next intersection".  Ugh.

So, what's the spiritual application here?  (You knew it was coming!)

God is the greatest GPS system in the universe.  Not only does He know where I am at each and every moment of my entire life, He knows where I've been, and where I am going.  

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

I can't hide from Him, and He leads me in paths of righteousness.  

  

Psalm 23: 2, 3 He makes me lie down in green f pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. 

  

He restores my soul.

He  leads me in  paths of righteousness 

for his name's sake.

And one of my favourite passages of Scripture makes it plain...God knows everything about me.  He always knew.  He will always know.  I can never be lost.  I will never be forgotten.

What a precious thought!

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 L

O Lord, you have p searched me and known me!

 2 

You q know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you r discern my thoughts from afar.

 3 

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

 4 

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, s you know it altogether.

 5 

You t hem me in, behind and before,

and u lay your hand upon me.

 6 

v Such knowledge is w too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

 7 

x Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where y shall I flee from your presence?

 8 

z If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

a If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

 9 

If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 

even there your hand shall b lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

11 

If I say, c “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,”

12 

d even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

13 

For you e formed my inward parts;

you f knitted me together in my mother's womb.

14 

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. [1]

g Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

15 

h My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in i the depths of the earth.

16 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your j book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

17 

How precious to me are your k thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

18 

l If I would count them, they are more than m the sand.

I awake, and I am still with you.

19 

Oh that you would n slay the wicked, O God!

O o men of blood, p depart from me!

20 

They q speak against you with malicious intent;

your enemies r take your name in vain! [2]

21 

s Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?

And do I not t loathe those who u rise up against you?

22 

I hate them with complete hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

v Try me and know my thoughts! [3]

24 

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and w lead me in x the way everlasting! [4]