English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,
1
Hallelujah! Praise the name of God, praise the works of God.
2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!
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All you priests on duty in God's temple, serving in the sacred halls of our God,
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
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Shout "Hallelujah!" because God's so good, sing anthems to his beautiful name.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession.
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And why? Because God chose Jacob, embraced Israel as a prize possession.
5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
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I too give witness to the greatness of God, our Lord, high above all other gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
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He does just as he pleases - however, wherever, whenever.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
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He makes the weather - clouds and thunder, lightning and rain, wind pouring out of the north.
8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;
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He struck down the Egyptian firstborn, both human and animal firstborn.
9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;
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He made Egypt sit up and take notice, confronted Pharaoh and his servants with miracles.
10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,
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Yes, he struck down great nations, he slew mighty kings -
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
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Sihon king of the Amorites, also Og of Bashan - every last one of the Canaanite kings!
12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel.
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Then he turned their land over to Israel, a gift of good land to his people.
13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.
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God, your name is eternal, God, you'll never be out-of-date.
14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.
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God stands up for his people, God holds the hands of his people.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
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The gods of the godless nations are mere trinkets, made for quick sale in the markets:
16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;
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Chiseled mouths that can't talk, painted eyes that can't see,
17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.
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Carved ears that can't hear - dead wood! cold metal!
18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them!
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Those who make and trust them become like them.
19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
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Family of Israel, bless God! Family of Aaron, bless God!
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
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Family of Levi, bless God! You who fear God, bless God!
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!
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Oh, blessed be God of Zion, First Citizen of Jerusalem! Hallelujah!
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
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.