The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising.
1
Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2 Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs! Play his praise on a grand piano!
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Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Invent your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare.
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Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
4 For God's Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out.
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For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
5 He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line true. Earth is drenched in God's affectionate satisfaction.
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He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
6 The skies were made by God's command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out.
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By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He scooped Sea into his jug, put Ocean in his keg.
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He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
8 Earth-creatures, bow before God; world-dwellers - down on your knees!
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Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 Here's why: he spoke and there it was, in place the moment he said so.
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For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
10 God takes the wind out of Babel pretense, he shoots down the world's power-schemes.
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The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 God's plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last.
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The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people he's put in his will.
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Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13 From high in the skies God looks around, he sees all Adam's brood.
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The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14 From where he sits he overlooks all us earth-dwellers.
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From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do.
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He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 No king succeeds with a big army alone, no warrior wins by brute strength.
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There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone.
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An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love.
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Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 He's ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together.
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To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 We're depending on God; he's everything we need.
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Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
21 What's more, our hearts brim with joy since we've taken for our own his holy name.
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For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Love us, God, with all you've got - that's what we're depending on.
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Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
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.
The King James Version is in the public domain.