New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
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<To the chief music-maker; put to Shoshannim. Of David.> Be my saviour, O God; because the waters have come in, even to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
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My feet are deep in the soft earth, where there is no support; I have come into deep waters, the waves are flowing over me.
3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
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I am tired with my crying; my throat is burning: my eyes are wasted with waiting for my God.
4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; many are those who would destroy me, my enemies who accuse me falsely. What I did not steal must I now restore?
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Those who have hate for me without cause are greater in number than the hairs of my head; those who are against me, falsely desiring my destruction, are very strong; I gave back what I had not taken away.
5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
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O God, you see how foolish I am; and my wrongdoing is clear to you.
6 Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of hosts; do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel.
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Let not those who have hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of armies: let not those who are waiting for you be made low because of me, O God of Israel.
7 It is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face.
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I have been wounded with sharp words because of you; my face has been covered with shame.
8 I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother's children.
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I have become strange to my brothers, and like a man from a far country to my mother's children.
9 It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
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I am on fire with passion for your house; and the hard things which are said about you have come on me.
10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so.
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My bitter weeping, and my going without food, were turned to my shame.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
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When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me.
12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
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I am a cause of wonder to those in authority; a song to those who are given to strong drink.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
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But as for me, let my prayer be made to you, O Lord, at a time when you are pleased; O God, give me an answer in your great mercy, for your salvation is certain.
14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
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Take me from the grip of the sticky earth, so that I may not go down into it; let me be lifted up from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me.
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Let me not be covered by the flowing waters; let not the deep waters go over my head, and let me not be shut up in the underworld.
16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
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Give an answer to my words, O Lord; for your mercy is good: be turned to me, because of your great pity.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.
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Let not your face be covered from your servant, for I am in trouble; quickly give me an answer.
18 Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.
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Come near to my soul, for its salvation: be my saviour, because of those who are against me.
19 You know the insults I receive, and my shame and dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
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You have seen my shame, how I was laughed at and made low; my haters are all before you.
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
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My heart is broken by bitter words, I am full of grief; I made a search for some to have pity on me, but there was no one; I had no comforter.
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
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They gave me poison for my food; and bitter wine for my drink.
22 Let their table be a trap for them, a snare for their allies.
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Let their table before them be for their destruction; let their feasts become a net to take them.
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.
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Let their eyes be blind so that they may not see; let their bodies for ever be shaking.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.
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Let your curse come on them; let the heat of your wrath overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one live in their tents.
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Give their houses to destruction, and let there be no one in their tents.
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down, and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more.
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Because they are cruel to him against whom your hand is turned; they make bitter the grief of him who is wounded by you.
27 Add guilt to their guilt; may they have no acquittal from you.
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Let their punishment be increased; let them not come into your righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
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Let their names be taken from the book of the living, let them not be numbered with the upright.
29 But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me.
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But I am poor and full of sorrow; let me be lifted up by your salvation, O Lord.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
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I will give praise to the name of God with a song; I will give glory to him for what he has done.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
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This will be more pleasing to the Lord than an ox, or a young ox of full growth.
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
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The poor will see it and be glad: you who are lovers of God, let your hearts have life.
33 For the Lord hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds.
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For the ears of the Lord are open to the poor, and he takes thought for his prisoners.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
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Let the heavens and the earth give praise to him, the seas, and everything moving in them.
35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and his servants shall live there and possess it;
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For God will be the saviour of Zion, and the builder of the towns of Judah; so that it may be their resting-place and heritage.
36 the children of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall live in it.
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The seed of his servants will have their part in it, and there the lovers of his name will have rest.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.