New King James Version NKJV
New Living Translation NLT
1 A Meditation of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite. O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me,
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I come to you for protection, O LORD my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!
2 Lest they tear me like a lion, Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
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If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion, tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this: If there is iniquity in my hands,
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O LORD my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice,
4 If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me, Or have plundered my enemy without cause,
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if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause,
5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
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then let my enemies capture me. Let them trample me into the ground and drag my honor in the dust. Interlude
6 Arise, O Lord, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded!
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Arise, O LORD, in anger! Stand up against the fury of my enemies! Wake up, my God, and bring justice!
7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
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Gather the nations before you. Rule over them from on high.
8 The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me.
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The LORD judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O LORD, for I am innocent, O Most High!
9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
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End the evil of those who are wicked, and defend the righteous. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.
10 My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.
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God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.
11 God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
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God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.
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If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.
13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
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He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows.
14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
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The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.
15 He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
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They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves.
16 His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.
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The trouble they make for others backfires on them. The violence they plan falls on their own heads.
17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
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I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.