The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 Oh, that you would rip open the heavens and descend, make the mountains shudder at your presence -
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Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence--
2 As when a forest catches fire, as when fire makes a pot to boil -
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as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil-- to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 To shock your enemies into facing you, make the nations shake in their boots! You did terrible things we never expected, descended and made the mountains shudder at your presence.
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When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 Since before time began no one has ever imagined, No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for him.
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From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet those who happily do what is right, who keep a good memory of the way you work. But how angry you've been with us! We've sinned and kept at it so long! Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved?
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You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We're all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. We dry up like autumn leaves - sin-dried, we're blown off by the wind.
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We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 No one prays to you or makes the effort to reach out to you Because you've turned away from us, left us to stew in our sins.
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There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
8 Still, God, you are our Father. We're the clay and you're our potter: All of us are what you made us.
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But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
9 Don't be too angry with us, O God. Don't keep a permanent account of wrongdoing. Keep in mind, please, we are your people - all of us.
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Be not so terribly angry, O LORD, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people.
10 Your holy cities are all ghost towns: Zion's a ghost town, Jerusalem's a field of weeds.
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Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful Temple, which our ancestors filled with your praises, Was burned down by fire, all our lovely parks and gardens in ruins.
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Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins.
12 In the face of all this, are you going to sit there unmoved, God? Aren't you going to say something? Haven't you made us miserable long enough?
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Will you restrain yourself at these things, O LORD? Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.