The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 I'm determined to watch steps and tongue so they won't land me in trouble. I decided to hold my tongue as long as Wicked is in the room.
1
I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence."
2 "Mum's the word," I said, and kept quiet. But the longer I kept silence The worse it got -
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I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.
3 my insides got hotter and hotter. My thoughts boiled over; I spilled my guts.
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My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
4 "Tell me, what's going on, God? How long do I have to live? Give me the bad news!
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"O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!
5 You've kept me on pretty short rations; my life is string too short to be saved.
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Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6 Oh! we're all puffs of air. Oh! we're all shadows in a campfire. Oh! we're just spit in the wind. We make our pile, and then we leave it.
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Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7 "What am I doing in the meantime, Lord? Hoping, that's what I'm doing - hoping
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"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
8 You'll save me from a rebel life, save me from the contempt of dunces.
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Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I'll say no more, I'll shut my mouth, since you, Lord, are behind all this.
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I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it.
10 But I can't take it much longer. When you put us through the fire
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Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 to purge us from our sin, our dearest idols go up in smoke. Are we also nothing but smoke?
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When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah
12 "Ah, God, listen to my prayer, my cry - open your ears. Don't be callous; just look at these tears of mine. I'm a stranger here. I don't know my way - a migrant like my whole family.
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"Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.
13 Give me a break, cut me some slack before it's too late and I'm out of here."
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Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!"
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 English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.