English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
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Harass these hecklers, God, punch these bullies in the nose.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
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Grab a weapon, anything at hand; stand up for me!
3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!"
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Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin, at the people who are out to get me. Reassure me; let me hear you say, "I'll save you."
4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
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When those thugs try to knife me in the back, make them look foolish. Frustrate all those who are plotting my downfall.
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
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Make them like cinders in a high wind, with God's angel working the bellows.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
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Make their road lightless and mud-slick, with God's angel on their tails.
7 For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
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Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me; for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me.
8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it--to his destruction!
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Surprise them with your ambush - catch them in the very trap they set, the disaster they planned for me.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.
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But let me run loose and free, celebrating God's great work,
10 All my bones shall say, "O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?"
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Every bone in my body laughing, singing, "God, there's no one like you. You put the down-and-out on their feet and protect the unprotected from bullies!"
11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
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Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere, they stand up and badger me.
12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
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They pay me back misery for mercy, leaving my soul empty.
13 But I, when they were sick-- I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
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When they were sick, I dressed in black; instead of eating, I prayed.
14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
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My prayers were like lead in my gut, like I'd lost my best friend, my brother. I paced, distraught as a motherless child, hunched and heavyhearted.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
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But when I was down they threw a party! All the nameless riffraff of the town came chanting insults about me.
16 like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.
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Like barbarians desecrating a shrine, they destroyed my reputation.
17 How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!
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God, how long are you going to stand there doing nothing? Save me from their brutalities; everything I've got is being thrown to the lions.
18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
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I will give you full credit when everyone gathers for worship; When the people turn out in force I will say my Hallelujahs.
19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
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Don't let these liars, my enemies, have a party at my expense, Those who hate me for no reason, winking and rolling their eyes.
20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.
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No good is going to come from that crowd; They spend all their time cooking up gossip against those who mind their own business.
21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, "Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!"
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They open their mouths in ugly grins, Mocking, "Ha-ha, ha-ha, thought you'd get away with it? We've caught you hands down!"
22 You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!
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Don't you see what they're doing, God? You're not going to let them Get by with it, are you? Not going to walk off without doing something, are you?
23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
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Please get up - wake up! Tend to my case. My God, my Lord - my life is on the line.
24 Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!
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Do what you think is right, God, my God, but don't make me pay for their good time.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha, our heart's desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."
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Don't let them say to themselves, "Ha-ha, we got what we wanted." Don't let them say, "We've chewed him up and spit him out."
26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!
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Let those who are being hilarious at my expense Be made to look ridiculous. Make them wear donkey's ears; Pin them with the donkey's tail, who made themselves so high and mighty!
27 Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, "Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!"
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But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word - a glad shout! - and say, over and over and over, "God is great - everything works together for good for his servant."
28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
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I'll tell the world how great and good you are, I'll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.
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.