The Message Bible MSG
World English Bible WEB
1 Take my side, God - I'm getting kicked around, stomped on every day.
1
<<For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Silent Dove in Distant Lands". A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.>> Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
2 Not a day goes by but somebody beats me up; They make it their duty to beat me up.
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My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, For they are many who fight proudly against me.
3 When I get really afraid I come to you in trust.
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When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
4 I'm proud to praise God; fearless now, I trust in God. What can mere mortals do?
4
In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
5 They don't let up - they smear my reputation and huddle to plot my collapse.
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All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gang up, sneak together through the alleys To take me by surprise, wait their chance to get me.
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They conspire and lurk, Watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.
7 Pay them back in evil! Get angry, God! Down with these people!
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Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.
8 You've kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, Each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book.
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You number my wanderings. You put my tears into your bottle. Aren't they in your book?
9 If my enemies run away, turn tail when I yell at them, Then I'll know that God is on my side.
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Then shall my enemies turn back in the day that I call. I know this, that God is for me.
10 I'm proud to praise God, proud to praise God.
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In God, I will praise his word. In Yahweh, I will praise his word.
11 Fearless now, I trust in God; what can mere mortals do to me?
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I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
12 God, you did everything you promised, and I'm thanking you with all my heart.
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Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to you.
13 You pulled me from the brink of death, my feet from the cliff-edge of doom. Now I stroll at leisure with God in the sunlit fields of life.
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For you have delivered my soul from death, And prevented my feet from falling, That I may walk before God in the light of the living.
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 World English Bible is in the public domain.