The Message Bible MSG
World English Bible WEB
1 God, God, save me! I'm in over my head,
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<<For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Lilies." By David.>> Save me, God, For the waters have come up to my neck!
2 Quicksand under me, swamp water over me; I'm going down for the third time.
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I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
3 I'm hoarse from calling for help, Bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God.
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I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail, looking for my God.
4 I've got more enemies than hairs on my head; Sneaks and liars are out to knife me in the back. What I never stole Must I now give back?
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Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore what I didn't take away.
5 God, you know every sin I've committed; My life's a wide-open book before you.
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God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren't hidden from you.
6 Don't let those who look to you in hope Be discouraged by what happens to me, Dear Lord! God of the armies! Don't let those out looking for you Come to a dead end by following me - Please, dear God of Israel!
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Don't let those who wait for you be put to shame through me, Lord Yahweh of Hosts. Don't let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.
7 Because of you I look like an idiot, I walk around ashamed to show my face.
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Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. Shame has covered my face.
8 My brothers shun me like a bum off the street; My family treats me like an unwanted guest.
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I have become a stranger to my brothers, An alien to my mother's children.
9 I love you more than I can say. Because I'm madly in love with you, They blame me for everything they dislike about you.
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For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting, All it got me was more contempt.
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When I wept and I fasted, That was to my reproach.
11 When I put on a sad face, They treated me like a clown.
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When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
12 Now drunks and gluttons Make up drinking songs about me.
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Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.
13 And me? I pray. God, it's time for a break! God, answer in love! Answer with your sure salvation!
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But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your lovingkindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.
14 Rescue me from the swamp, Don't let me go under for good, Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy; This whirlpool is sucking me down.
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Deliver me out of the mire, and don't let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15 Don't let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me.
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Don't let the flood waters overwhelm me, Neither let the deep swallow me up. Don't let the pit shut its mouth on me.
16 Now answer me, God, because you love me; Let me see your great mercy full-face.
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Answer me, Yahweh, for your lovingkindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.
17 Don't look the other way; your servant can't take it. I'm in trouble. Answer right now!
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Don't hide your face from your servant, For I am in distress. Answer me speedily!
18 Come close, God; get me out of here. Rescue me from this deathtrap.
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Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies.
19 You know how they kick me around - Pin on me the donkey's ears, the dunce's cap.
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You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all before you.
20 I'm broken by their taunts, Flat on my face, reduced to a nothing. I looked in vain for one friendly face. Not one. I couldn't find one shoulder to cry on.
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Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; For comforters, but I found none.
21 They put poison in my soup, Vinegar in my drink.
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They also gave me gall for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their supper be bait in a trap that snaps shut; May their best friends be trappers who'll skin them alive.
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Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap.
23 Make them become blind as bats, Give them the shakes from morning to night.
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Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see. Make their loins continually to shake.
24 Let them know what you think of them, Blast them with your red-hot anger.
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Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.
25 Burn down their houses, Leave them desolate with nobody at home.
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Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents.
26 They gossiped about the one you disciplined, Made up stories about anyone wounded by God.
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For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.
27 Pile on the guilt, Don't let them off the hook.
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Charge them with crime upon crime. Don't let them come into your righteousness.
28 Strike their names from the list of the living; No rock-carved honor for them among the righteous.
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Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous.
29 I'm hurt and in pain; Give me space for healing, and mountain air.
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But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.
30 Let me shout God's name with a praising song, Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.
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I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 For God, this is better than oxen on the altar, Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.
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It will please Yahweh better than an ox, Or a bull that has horns and hoofs.
32 The poor in spirit see and are glad - Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!
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The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.
33 For God listens to the poor, He doesn't walk out on the wretched.
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For Yahweh hears the needy, And doesn't despise his captive people.
34 You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth; Also ocean and all things that swim in it.
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Let heaven and earth praise him; The seas, and everything that moves therein!
35 For God is out to help Zion, Rebuilding the wrecked towns of Judah. Guess who will live there - The proud owners of the land?
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For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.
36 No, the children of his servants will get it, The lovers of his name will live in it.
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The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.