Psalms · Chapter 139 · Prayer
Psalms 139:23 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts."
KJV · King James Version
"Search2713 me, O God410, and know3045 my heart3824: try974 me, and know3045 my thoughts8312:"
In context
Psalms 139:23 in Psalms 139
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Psalms 139:23 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Psalms 139. Read the full chapter →
- v.21 Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
- v.22 I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.
- v.23 Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.
- v.24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
Book background
About the Book of Psalms
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Hebrew poetry
- Author
- David (73 psalms), Asaph, Sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, others
- Date written
- c. 1410–430 BC (compiled over a millennium)
- Audience
- All of Israel's worshipping community — and the church
- Chapters
- 150
The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. About half are attributed to David. The book is divided into five "books," each ending with a doxology. The Psalms shape Christian prayer more than any other Old Testament book and are quoted in the New Testament more than any other.
Setting: 150 sacred songs used in temple worship; the Bible's songbook.
Key themes: worship · lament · trust · kingship · thanksgiving
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Psalms 139:23
Psalms 139:23 contains 13 words in 5 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Search me
SM
- 2
God
G
- 3
and know my heart
AKMH
- 4
Try me
TM
- 5
and know my thoughts.
AKMT
Frequently asked
FAQ about Psalms 139:23
What does Psalms 139:23 say?
Psalms 139:23 reads: "Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts." — from the Old Testament, Psalms (Hebrew poetry). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Psalms 139:23 in?
Psalms 139:23 is in the book of Psalms, traditionally attributed to David (73 psalms), Asaph, Sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, others and written around c. 1410–430 BC (compiled over a millennium). Psalms is hebrew poetry in the Old Testament, originally addressed to All of Israel's worshipping community — and the church. Best known for Psalm 23 ("The LORD is my shepherd") and Psalm 51.
What is Psalms 139:23 about?
Psalms 139:23 is primarily a Bible verse about Prayer. Within Psalms, The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Psalms 139:23 in WEB and KJV?
Psalms 139:23 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Search2713 me, O God410, and know3045 my heart3824: try974 me, and know3045 my thoughts8312:". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Psalms 139:23?
Psalms 139:23 is 13 words in the WEB translation (64 characters), broken into 5 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 4 seconds.
How can I memorise Psalms 139:23?
To memorise Psalms 139:23, split it into its 5 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Psalms 139:23 matter in Psalms?
The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. About half are attributed to David. The book is divided into five "books," each ending with a doxology. The Psalms shape Christian prayer more than any other Old Testament book and are quoted in the New Testament more than any other. Psalms 139:23 sits within this larger story — Psalms as a whole emphasises worship, lament, trust.
How can I apply Psalms 139:23 today?
Many readers use Psalms 139:23 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Psalms 139:23 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Philippians 4:6-7
“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which sur…”
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Matthew 7:7
““Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.”
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2 Chronicles 7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will fo…”
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Matthew 6:9
“Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.”
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James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
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James 5:14-15
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the pra…”
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Psalms 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.”
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-
Psalms 34:4
“I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
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Psalms 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”
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Jeremiah 33:3
“‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don’t know.’”
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More featured verses in Psalms 139
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Psalms 23:1
“A Psalm by David. Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.”
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Psalm 23:1
“Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.”
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Psalms 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
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Psalms 27:1
“By David. Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?”
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