Psalm 139 (Verses 1–14)
King James Version
The opening of David's psalm on God's complete knowledge of us, including the well-known "fearfully and wonderfully made."
Download the handwriting worksheet (PDF)Printable, ruled for handwriting: copy it by hand, then type it here.
About this text
Psalm 139 is attributed to David and is often read as one of the most personal and introspective psalms in the collection, addressed directly to God in the second person throughout rather than describing God from a distance. This excerpt covers its first half, ending at verse 14 with the well-known line about being "fearfully and wonderfully made" — the psalm continues afterward into more difficult territory that this excerpt doesn't include.
The psalm repeats the structure "if I... thou art there" several times in verses 7-10, testing the same claim (God's presence is inescapable) against different extremes — heaven, the grave, the sea, the darkness. Copying that repeated pattern is a clear way to see how Hebrew poetry often makes an argument by varying one structure across several examples rather than by building a logical chain.
What to watch for
- 6 semicolons: a semicolon joins two complete thoughts that belong together, a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a period.
- 4 colons: a colon points ahead to what explains or completes the first half of the sentence.
- 2 exclamation and question marks: ask the child how the sentence should sound when read aloud, and why the writer chose that mark.
- 1 apostrophe: sort each one into possession (the shepherd's staff) or a missing letter (don't = do not).
- Capital letters in the middle of a sentence: LORD, Surely. Ask why each one is capitalized before typing it.
- Old-fashioned words: thou, art, thine, unto, whither, thy, yea, hideth. These are easy to "correct" by accident into modern spelling, so copy them exactly as written.
- Longest word: "understandest" (13 letters). Try spelling it aloud once before reaching it.
- 14 lines averaging about 16 words each. A comfortable line length for a single sitting.
Full text (reference)
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.