Psalms 139:23 (YLT)

Passage

Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts,

Nearby Context

Psalms 139:21 Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself?

Psalms 139:22 <FI> With<Fi> perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.

Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts,

Psalms 139:24 And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "search", "heart", and "thoughts". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "search" and "heart", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "FI With Fi perfect hatred I have..." into verse 24's "And see if a grievous way be...", so "search" and "heart" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "search" and "heart" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.