The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 We've been hearing about this, God, all our lives. Our fathers told us the stories their fathers told them,
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O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:
2 How single-handedly you weeded out the godless from the fields and planted us, How you sent those people packing but gave us a fresh start.
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you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;
3 We didn't fight for this land; we didn't work for it - it was a gift! You gave it, smiling as you gave it, delighting as you gave it.
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for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.
4 You're my King, O God - command victories for Jacob!
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You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 With your help we'll wipe out our enemies, in your name we'll stomp them to dust.
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Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 I don't trust in weapons; my sword won't save me -
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For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.
7 But it's you, you who saved us from the enemy; you made those who hate us lose face.
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But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 All day we parade God's praise - we thank you by name over and over.
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In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
9 But now you've walked off and left us, you've disgraced us and won't fight for us.
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But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You made us turn tail and run; those who hate us have cleaned us out.
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You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You delivered us as sheep to the butcher, you scattered us to the four winds.
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You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sold your people at a discount - you made nothing on the sale.
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You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.
13 You made people on the street, urchins, poke fun and call us names.
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You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You made us a joke among the godless, a cheap joke among the rabble.
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You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 Every day I'm up against it, my nose rubbed in my shame -
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All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face
16 Gossip and ridicule fill the air, people out to get me crowd the street.
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at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this came down on us, and we've done nothing to deserve it.
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All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 our hearts were never false, our feet never left your path.
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Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 Do we deserve torture in a den of jackals? or lockup in a black hole?
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yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten to pray to our God or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,
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If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 Wouldn't God have figured this out? We can't hide things from him.
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would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 No, you decided to make us martyrs, lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.
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Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Get up, God! Are you going to sleep all day? Wake up! Don't you care what happens to us?
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Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you bury your face in the pillow? Why pretend things are just fine with us?
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Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 And here we are - flat on our faces in the dirt, held down with a boot on our necks.
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For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground.
26 Get up and come to our rescue. If you love us so much, Help us!
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Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
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.