New International Version NIV
The Message Bible MSG
1 I love you, LORD, my strength.
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I love you, God - you make me strong.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
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God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God - the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout.
3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.
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I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty, and find myself safe and saved.
4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
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The hangman's noose was tight at my throat; devil waters rushed over me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.
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Hell's ropes cinched me tight; death traps barred every exit.
6 In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
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A hostile world! I call to God, I cry to God to help me. From his palace he hears my call; my cry brings me right into his presence - a private audience!
7 The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.
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Earth wobbles and lurches; huge mountains shake like leaves, Quake like aspen leaves because of his rage.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
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His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke; his mouth spits fire. Tongues of fire dart in and out;
9 He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
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he lowers the sky. He steps down; under his feet an abyss opens up.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
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He's riding a winged creature, swift on wind-wings.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.
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Now he's wrapped himself in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
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But his cloud-brightness bursts through, spraying hailstones and fireballs.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
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Then God thundered out of heaven; the High God gave a great shout, spraying hailstones and fireballs.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
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God shoots his arrows - pandemonium! He hurls his lightnings - a rout!
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
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The secret sources of ocean are exposed, the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered The moment you roar in protest, let loose your hurricane anger.
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
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But me he caught - reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled me out
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
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that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
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They hit me when I was down, but God stuck by me.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
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He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved - surprised to be loved!
20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
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God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I am not guilty of turning from my God.
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Now I'm alert to God's ways; I don't take God for granted.
22 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
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Every day I review the ways he works; I try not to miss a trick.
23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
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I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step.
24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
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God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
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The good people taste your goodness, The whole people taste your health,
26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
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The true people taste your truth, The bad ones can't figure you out.
27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
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You take the side of the down-and-out, But the stuck-up you take down a peg.
28 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
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Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life; I'm blazing with glory, God's glory!
29 With your help I can advance against a troop ; with my God I can scale a wall.
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I smash the bands of marauders, I vault the highest fences.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.
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What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him Makes it.
31 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
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Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock?
32 It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.
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Is not this the God who armed me, then aimed me in the right direction?
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.
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Now I run like a deer; I'm king of the mountain.
34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
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He shows me how to fight; I can bend a bronze bow!
35 You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great.
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You protect me with salvation-armor; you hold me up with a firm hand, caress me with your gentle ways.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.
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You cleared the ground under me so my footing was firm.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
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When I chased my enemies I caught them; I didn't let go till they were dead men.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.
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I nailed them; they were down for good; then I walked all over them.
39 You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.
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You armed me well for this fight, you smashed the upstarts.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.
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You made my enemies turn tail, and I wiped out the haters.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but he did not answer.
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They cried "uncle" but Uncle didn't come; They yelled for God and got no for an answer.
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust; I trampled them like mud in the streets.
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I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind. I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me,
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You rescued me from a squabbling people; you made me a leader of nations. People I'd never heard of served me;
44 foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
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the moment they got wind of me they listened.
45 They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.
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they came on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.
46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!
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Live, God! Blessings from my Rock, my free and freeing God, towering!
47 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me,
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This God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back.
48 who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me.
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He rescued me from enemy anger, he pulled me from the grip of upstarts, He saved me from the bullies.
49 Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.
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That's why I'm thanking you, God, all over the world. That's why I'm singing songs that rhyme your name.
50 He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.
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God's king takes the trophy; God's chosen is beloved. I mean David and all his children - always.
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.
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.