All-seeing God, You have searched me, though I am often afraid to look within myself.
All-knowing God, You know me intimately, though I often do not know myself.
You know when I sit and when I rise, though I often cannot tell which way is up or down.
You perceive my thoughts from afar, though I often cannot keep my thoughts straight.
You discern my going out and my lying down, though I am often unsure of where I am coming from or where I am going.
You are familiar with all my ways, though I am often unclear on what I am doing or why.
Before a word is on my tongue, You know what I am going to say, though I often speak without thinking.
You hem me in behind and before, and that helps me say “goodbye” to yesterday and “hello” to today.
You lay your hand upon me, and that helps me feel not quite so alone.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain, so I will be content with Your wonderful mystery.
Where can I go from your Spirit? For you are always already everywhere in the world.
Where can I flee from your presence? For you are always already near to me.
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; on my best days, when I’m winning at life.
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there; on my worst days, when everything is falling apart.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I get up and get going as fast as possible;
if I settle on the far side of the sea, if I run as far and as fast as I can in life;
even there your hand will guide me. I trust in Your sense of direction more than in my own.
Your right hand will hold me fast; I trust that You will never let me go.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me;” when all I want to do is crawl into a corner and hide;
if I say, “Let the light become night around me;” when all I want to be is invisible;
even the darkness will not be dark to you; for Your light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it;
the night will shine like the day, for You are the True Light that gives light to everyone;
for darkness is as light to You, O, Light of the World.
Amen
