God’s special providence over his servants.

¹ Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me.

² You have known my sitting down and my rising up again.

³ You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated.¹

1. 138:3The word ‘funiculum’ literally means ‘line’ or ‘cord,’ but it is often used to refer to an ancient type of casting lots, but which used a string and which was usually concerned with the outcome of future events (i.e. one’s fate).(Conte)

⁴ And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue.¹²

1. 138:4In other words, there are no words that I can speak that God does not already know.(Conte)
2. 138:4There is no speech, etc: Viz., unknown to you: or when there is no speech in my tongue; yet my whole interior and my most secret thoughts are known to you.(Challoner)

⁵ Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.¹

1. 138:5Although ‘novissima’ means ‘the last,’ but it also means ‘the newest.’ The newest addition to a line of people will be the last in line.(Conte)

⁶ Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.

⁷ Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face?

⁸ If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I descend into Hell, you are near.

⁹ If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea,

¹⁰ even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me.

¹¹ And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.

¹² But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light.

¹³ For you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother.

¹⁴ I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well.

¹⁵ My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them.

¹⁷ But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened.¹

1. 138:17The first ruler of God’s friends can be understood to refer to the Pope.(Conte)

¹⁸ I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you.

¹⁹ O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me.

²⁰ For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain.¹

1. 138:20Because you say in thought, etc: Depart from me, you wicked, who plot against the servants of God, and think to cast them out of the cities of their habitation; as if they have received them in vain, and to no purpose.(Challoner)

²¹ Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies?

²² I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me.¹

1. 138:22I have hated them: Not with an hatred of malice, but a zeal for the observance of God’s commandments; which he saw were despised by the wicked, who are to be considered enemies to God.(Challoner)

²³ Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question me, and know my paths.

²⁴ And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity.