The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
1 Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God, the gift of just rule to the crown prince.
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Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people rightly, be honorable to your meek and lowly.
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May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.
3 Let the mountains give exuberant witness; shape the hills with the contours of right living.
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May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 Please stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
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May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.
5 Outlast the sun, outlive the moon - age after age after age.
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May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 Be rainfall on cut grass, earth-refreshing rain showers.
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May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
7 Let righteousness burst into blossom and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.
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In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
8 Rule from sea to sea, from the River to the Rim.
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May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 Foes will fall on their knees before God, his enemies lick the dust.
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May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust.
10 Kings remote and legendary will pay homage, kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth.
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May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts.
11 All kings will fall down and worship, and godless nations sign up to serve him,
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May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
12 Because he rescues the poor at the first sign of need, the destitute who have run out of luck.
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For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out, he restores the wretched of the earth.
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He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.
14 He frees them from tyranny and torture - when they bleed, he bleeds; when they die, he dies.
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He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 And live! Oh, let him live! Deck him out in Sheba gold. Offer prayers unceasing to him, bless him from morning to night.
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Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.
16 Fields of golden grain in the land, cresting the mountains in wild exuberance, Cornucopias of praise, praises springing from the city like grass from the earth.
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May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May he never be forgotten, his fame shine on like sunshine. May all godless people enter his circle of blessing and bless the One who blessed them.
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May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him,and they will call him blessed.
18 Blessed God, Israel's God, the one and only wonder-working God!
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Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Blessed always his blazing glory! All earth brims with his glory.
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Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
20 Yes and Yes and Yes.
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This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
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.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.