English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
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God, God . . . my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.
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Doubled up with pain, I call to God all the day long. No answer. Nothing. I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.
3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
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And you! Are you indifferent, above it all, leaning back on the cushions of Israel's praise?
4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
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We know you were there for our parents:
5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
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they cried for your help and you gave it; they trusted and lived a good life.
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
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And here I am, a nothing - an earthworm, something to step on, to squash.
7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
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Everyone pokes fun at me; they make faces at me, they shake their heads:
8 "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"
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"Let's see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much, let him help him!"
9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
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And to think you were midwife at my birth, setting me at my mother's breasts!
10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
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When I left the womb you cradled me; since the moment of birth you've been my God.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
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Then you moved far away and trouble moved in next-door. I need a neighbor.
12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
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Herds of bulls come at me, the raging bulls stampede,
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
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Horns lowered, nostrils flaring, like a herd of buffalo on the move.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
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I'm a bucket kicked over and spilled, every joint in my body has been pulled apart. My heart is a blob of melted wax in my gut.
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
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I'm dry as a bone, my tongue black and swollen. They have laid me out for burial in the dirt.
16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet--
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Now packs of wild dogs come at me; thugs gang up on me. They pin me down hand and foot,
17 I can count all my bones-- they stare and gloat over me;
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and lock me in a cage - a bag Of bones in a cage, stared at by every passerby.
18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
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They take my wallet and the shirt off my back, and then throw dice for my clothes.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
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You, God - don't put off my rescue! Hurry and help me!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!
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Don't let them cut my throat; don't let those mongrels devour me.
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
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If you don't show up soon, I'm done for - gored by the bulls, meat for the lions.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
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Here's the story I'll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
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Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel.
24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.
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He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
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Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life. And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers.
26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!
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Down-and-outers sit at God's table and eat their fill. Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him. "Live it up, from head to toe. Don't ever quit!"
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
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From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him.
28 For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
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God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.
29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive.
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All the power-mongers are before him - worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too - worshiping! Along with those who never got it together - worshiping!
30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
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Our children and their children will get in on this As the word is passed along from parent to child.
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
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Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news - that God does what he says.
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.