The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 Dignify those who are down on their luck; you'll feel good - that's what God does.
1
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
2 God looks after us all, makes us robust with life - Lucky to be in the land, we're free from enemy worries.
2
The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 Whenever we're sick and in bed, God becomes our nurse, nurses us back to health.
3
The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, "God, be gracious! Put me together again - my sins have torn me to pieces."
4
I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
5 My enemies are wishing the worst for me; they make bets on what day I will die.
5
Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 If someone comes to see me, he mouths empty platitudes, All the while gathering gossip about me to entertain the street-corner crowd.
6
And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
7 These "friends" who hate me whisper slanders all over town. They form committees to plan misery for me.
7
All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
8 The rumor goes out, "He's got some dirty, deadly disease. The doctors have given up on him."
8
An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
9 Even my best friend, the one I always told everything - he ate meals at my house all the time! - has bitten my hand.
9
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
10 God, give grace, get me up on my feet. I'll show them a thing or two.
10
But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
11 Meanwhile, I'm sure you're on my side - no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp!
11
By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 You know me inside and out, you hold me together, you never fail to stand me tall in your presence so I can look you in the eye.
12
And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed is God, Israel's God, always, always, always. Yes. Yes. Yes.
13
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
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.