The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 <To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> O God, let the voice of my grief come to your ear: keep my life from the fear of those who are against me.
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I am in trouble, God - listen to my prayer! I am afraid of my enemies - save my life!
2 Keep me safe from the secret purpose of wrongdoers; from the band of the workers of evil;
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Protect me from the plots of the wicked, from mobs of evil people.
3 Who make their tongues sharp like a sword, and whose arrows are pointed, even bitter words;
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They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like arrows.
4 So that in secret they may let loose their arrows at the upright, suddenly and unseen.
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They are quick to spread their shameless lies; they destroy good people with cowardly slander.
5 They make themselves strong in an evil purpose; they make holes for secret nets; they say, Who will see it,
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They encourage each other in their evil plots; they talk about where they will place their traps. "No one can see them," they say.
6 Or make discovery of our secret purpose? The design is framed with care; and the inner thought of a man, and his heart, is deep.
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They make evil plans and say, "We have planned a perfect crime." The human heart and mind are a mystery.
7 But God sends out an arrow against them; suddenly they are wounded.
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But God shoots his arrows at them, and suddenly they are wounded.
8 The evil of their tongues is the cause of their fall; all those who see them are shaking their heads at them.
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He will destroy them because of those words; all who see them will shake their heads.
9 And in fear men make public the works of God; and giving thought to his acts they get wisdom.
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They will all be afraid; they will think about what God has done and tell about his deeds.
10 The upright will be glad in the Lord and have hope in him; and all the lovers of righteousness will give him glory.
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All righteous people will rejoice because of what the Lord has done. They will find safety in him; all good people will praise him.
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.