The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 <To the chief music-maker; put to Mahalath. Maschil. Of David. The foolish man has said in his heart, God will not do anything. They are unclean, they have done evil works; there is not one who does good.
1
Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." They are all corrupt, and they have done terrible things; there is no one who does what is right.
2 God was looking down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who had wisdom, searching after God.
2
God looks down from heaven at people to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship him.
3 Every one of them has gone back; they are unclean: there is not one who does good, no, not one.
3
But they have all turned away; they are all equally bad. Not one of them does what is right, not a single one.
4 Have the workers of evil no knowledge? they take my people for food, as they would take bread; they make no prayer to God.
4
"Don't they know?" God asks. "Are these evildoers ignorant? They live by robbing my people, and they never pray to me."
5 They were in great fear, where there was no cause for fear: for the bones of those who make war on you have been broken by God; you have put them to shame, because God has no desire for them.
5
But then they will become terrified, as they have never been before, for God will scatter the bones of the enemies of his people. God has rejected them, and so Israel will totally defeat them.
6 May the salvation of Israel come out of Zion! When the fate of his people is changed by God, Jacob will have joy, and Israel will be glad.
6
How I pray that victory will come to Israel from Zion. How happy the people of Israel will be when God makes them prosperous again!
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.