Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 <<For the Chief Musician; set to "The Doe of the Morning." A Psalm by David.>> My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
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God, God . . . my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere?
2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don't answer; In the night season, and am not silent.
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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 But you are holy, You who inhabit the praises of Yisra'el.
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And you! Are you indifferent, above it all, leaning back on the cushions of Israel's praise?
4 Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
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We know you were there for our parents:
5 They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, 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 no man; A reproach of men, 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 those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
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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, since 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 But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust 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 I was thrown on you from my mother's womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
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When I left the womb you cradled me; since the moment of birth you've been my God.
11 Don't be far from me, for trouble is near. For 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 have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
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Herds of bulls come at me, the raging bulls stampede,
13 They open their mouths wide against me, Lions tearing prey and roaring.
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Horns lowered, nostrils flaring, like a herd of buffalo on the move.
14 I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.
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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. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into 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 have surrounded me. A company of evil-doers have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my 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 of my bones. They look and stare at 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. They cast lots for my clothing.
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They take my wallet and the shirt off my back, and then throw dice for my clothes.
19 But don't be far off, LORD. You are my help: hurry to help me.
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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 lion's mouth; Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen you have answered me.
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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 declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, will I 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 descendants of Ya`akov, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Yisra'el!
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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 nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hid his face from him; But when he cried to him, he heard.
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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 Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows 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 humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the LORD who seek after him. Let 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 eretz shall remember and turn to the LORD. All the relatives 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 the kingdom is the LORD's. He is the ruler over the nations.
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God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.
29 All the rich ones of the eretz shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, Even he who can't keep his soul 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. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
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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 shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, For he has done it.
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Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news - that God does what he says.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
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.