Psalm 139 · KJV
Psalm 139
Searched and Known
Psalm 139 marvels that God knows us completely and is present everywhere — He searched us, formed us in the womb, and never loses sight of us. Its message is that we are fully known and still loved, "fearfully and wonderfully made."
Psalm 139 (KJV)
1O 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.
What Psalm 139 means
David reflects on being fully known: God knows his sitting and rising, his words before he speaks them. Wherever he might flee — heaven, the grave, the far side of the sea, the darkness — God is already there. Being this known could feel exposing, but the psalm treats it as comfort: there is nowhere you can go beyond God's care.
The most quoted section praises how we are made: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made," formed and seen by God before birth. It has become a cornerstone verse on human worth and identity. The psalm closes with a vulnerable prayer — "Search me, O God, and know my heart" — inviting the God who already knows everything to lead the way to life.
Key verses
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
Psalm 139:14 · KJV — "Fearfully and wonderfully made" — the anchor verse for identity and worth.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:”
Psalm 139:23 · KJV — The closing prayer: "Search me, O God."
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A prayer from Psalm 139
Lord, You have searched me and known me, and still You love me. Thank You that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Search my heart, lead me in the way everlasting, and let me rest in being fully known by You. Amen.
Themes in this passage
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Frequently asked
What does Psalm 139 mean?
Psalm 139 marvels that God knows us completely and is present everywhere — He searched us, formed us in the womb, and never loses sight of us. Its message is that we are fully known and still loved, "fearfully and wonderfully made."
What is Psalm 139 about?
David reflects on being fully known: God knows his sitting and rising, his words before he speaks them. Wherever he might flee — heaven, the grave, the far side of the sea, the darkness — God is already there. Being this known could feel exposing, but the psalm treats it as comfort: there is nowhere you can go beyond God's care.
What is the key verse in Psalm 139?
Psalm 139:14 — “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
Is Psalm 139 in the King James Version?
Yes. The full text of Psalm 139 on this page is the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain.