New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies’ threats.
1
Listen and help, O God. I'm reduced to a whine And a whimper, obsessed with feelings of doomsday.
2 Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers.
2
Don't let them find me - the conspirators out to get me,
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows.
3
Using their tongues as weapons, flinging poison words, poison-tipped arrow-words.
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly.
4
They shoot from ambush, shoot without warning, not caring who they hit.
5 They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. “Who will ever notice?” they ask.
5
They keep fit doing calisthenics of evil purpose, They keep lists of the traps they've secretly set. They say to each other, "No one can catch us,
6 As they plot their crimes, they say, “We have devised the perfect plan!” Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.
6
no one can detect our perfect crime." The Detective detects the mystery in the dark of the cellar heart.
7 But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down.
7
The God of the Arrow shoots! They double up in pain,
8 Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
8
Fall flat on their faces in full view of the grinning crowd.
9 Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does.
9
Everyone sees it. God's work is the talk of the town.
10 The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him.
10
Be glad, good people! Fly to God! Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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.