Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 Fools say in their hearts, There is no God. They are corrupt and do evil things; not one of them does anything good.
1
Bilious and bloated, they gas, "God is gone." Their words are poison gas, fouling the air; they poison Rivers and skies; thistles are their cash crop.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven on humans to see if anyone is wise, to see if anyone seeks God,
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God sticks his head out of heaven. He looks around. He's looking for someone not stupid - one man, even, God-expectant, just one God-ready woman.
3 but all of them have turned bad. Everyone is corrupt. No one does good— not even one person!
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He comes up empty. A string of zeros. Useless, unshepherded Sheep, taking turns pretending to be Shepherd. The ninety and nine follow their fellow.
4 Are they dumb, all these evildoers, devouring my people like they are eating bread but never calling on the LORD?
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Don't they know anything, all these impostors? Don't they know they can't get away with this - Treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray?
5 Count on it: they will be in utter panic because God is with the righteous generation.
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Night is coming for them, and nightmares, for God takes the side of victims.
6 You evildoers may humiliate the plans of those who suffer, but the LORD is their refuge.
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Do you think you can mess with the dreams of the poor? You can't, for God makes their dreams come true.
7 Let Israel's salvation come out of Zion! When the LORD changes his people's circumstances for the better, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will celebrate!
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Is there anyone around to save Israel? Yes. God is around; God turns life around. Turned-around Jacob skips rope, turned-around Israel sings laughter.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
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.