Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
The Message Bible MSG
1 At this my heart trembleth, and is moved out of its place.
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"Whenever this happens, my heart stops - I'm stunned, I can't catch my breath.
2 Hear ye attentively the terror of his voice, and the sound that cometh out of his mouth.
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Listen to it! Listen to his thunder, the rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice.
3 He beholdeth under all the heavens, and his light is upon the ends of the earth.
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He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon, lighting up the earth from pole to pole.
4 After it a noise shall roar, he shall thunder with the voice of his majesty, and shall not be found out, when his voice shall be heard.
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In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice, powerful and majestic. He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back. No one can mistake that voice -
5 God shall thunder wonderfully with his voice, he that doth great and unsearchable things.
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His word thundering so wondrously, his mighty acts staggering our understanding.
6 He commandeth the snow to go down upon the earth, and the winter rain, and the shower of his strength.
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He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!' and the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!'
7 He sealeth up the hand of all men, that every one may know his works.
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No one can escape the weather - it's there. And no one can escape from God.
8 Then the beast shall go into his covert, and shall abide in his den.
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Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens,
9 Out of the inner parts shall a tempest come, and cold out of the north.
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When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.
10 When God bloweth there cometh frost, and again the waters are poured out abundantly.
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It's God's breath that forms the ice, it's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
11 Corn desireth clouds, and the clouds spread their light:
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And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater and hurls lightning from them every which way.
12 Which go round about, whithersoever the will of him that governeth them shall lead them, to whatsoever he shall command them upon the face of the whole earth:
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He puts them through their paces - first this way, then that - commands them to do what he says all over the world.
13 Whether in one tribe, or in his own land, or in what place soever of his mercy he shall command them to be found.
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Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love, he makes sure they make their mark. A Terrible Beauty Streams from God
14 Hearken to these things, Job: Stand, and consider the wondrous works of God.
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"Job, are you listening? Have you noticed all this? Stop in your tracks! Take in God's miracle-wonders!
15 Dost thou know when God commanded the rains, to shew his light of his clouds?
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Do you have any idea how God does it all, how he makes bright lightning from dark storms,
16 Knowest thou the great paths of the clouds, and the perfect knowledges?
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How he piles up the cumulus clouds - all these miracle-wonders of a perfect Mind?
17 Are not thy garments hot, when the south wind blows upon the earth?
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Why, you don't even know how to keep cool on a sweltering hot day,
18 Thou perhaps hast made the heavens with him, which are most strong, as if they were of molten brass.
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So how could you even dream of making a dent in that hot-tin-roof sky?
19 Shew us what we may say to him: or we are wrapped up in darkness.
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"If you're so smart, give us a lesson in how to address God. We're in the dark and can't figure it out.
20 Who shall tell him the things I speak? even if a man shall speak, he shall be swallowed up.
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Do you think I'm dumb enough to challenge God? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
21 But now they see not the light: the air on a sudden shall be thickened into clouds, and the wind shall pass and drive them away.
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No one in his right mind stares straight at the sun on a clear and cloudless day.
22 Cold cometh out of the north, and to God praise with fear.
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As gold comes from the northern mountains, so a terrible beauty streams from God.
23 We cannot find him worthily: he is great in strength, and in judgment, and in justice, and he is ineffable.
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"Mighty God! Far beyond our reach! Unsurpassable in power and justice! It's unthinkable that he'd treat anyone unfairly.
24 Therefore men shall fear him, and all that seem to themselves to be wise, shall not dare to behold him.
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So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all! If you're wise, you'll most certainly worship him."
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
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.