The Message Bible MSG
          
          
            New International Version NIV
          
            
              1 Quick, God, I need your helping hand! The last decent person just went down, All the friends I depended on gone.
            
            
                1
Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.            
            
              2 Everyone talks in lie language; Lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues.
            
            
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Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.            
            
              3 Slice their lips off their faces! Pull The braggart tongues from their mouths!
            
            
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May the LORD silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—            
            
              4 I'm tired of hearing, "We can talk anyone into anything! Our lips manage the world."
            
            
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those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”            
            
              5 Into the hovels of the poor, Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks: "I've had enough; I'm on my way To heal the ache in the heart of the wretched."
            
            
                5
“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”            
            
              6 God's words are pure words, Pure silver words refined seven times In the fires of his word-kiln, Pure on earth as well as in heaven.
            
            
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And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.            
            
              7 God, keep us safe from their lies, From the wicked who stalk us with lies,
            
            
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You, LORD, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked,            
            
              8 From the wicked who collect honors For their wonderful lies.
            
            
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who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.            
          
            
              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.