The Message Bible MSG
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 I run for dear life to God, I'll never live to regret it.
1
In Thee, O Jehovah, I have trusted, Let me not be ashamed to the age.
2 Do what you do so well: get me out of this mess and up on my feet. Put your ear to the ground and listen, give me space for salvation.
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In Thy righteousness Thou dost deliver me, And dost cause me to escape, Incline unto me Thine ear, and save me.
3 Be a guest room where I can retreat; you said your door was always open! You're my salvation - my vast, granite fortress.
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Be to me for a rock -- a habitation, To go in continually, Thou hast given command to save me, For my rock and my bulwark [art] Thou.
4 My God, free me from the grip of Wicked, from the clutch of Bad and Bully.
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O my God, cause me to escape From the hand of the wicked, From the hand of the perverse and violent.
5 You keep me going when times are tough - my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
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For Thou [art] my hope, O Lord Jehovah, My trust from my youth.
6 I've hung on you from the day of my birth, the day you took me from the cradle; I'll never run out of praise.
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By Thee I have been supported from the womb, From my mother's bowels Thou dost cut me out, In Thee [is] my praise continually.
7 Many gasp in alarm when they see me, but you take me in stride.
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As a wonder I have been to many, And Thou [art] my strong refuge.
8 Just as each day brims with your beauty, my mouth brims with praise.
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Filled is my mouth [with] Thy praise, All the day [with] Thy beauty.
9 But don't turn me out to pasture when I'm old or put me on the shelf when I can't pull my weight.
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Cast me not off at the time of old age, According to the consumption of my power forsake me not.
10 My enemies are talking behind my back, watching for their chance to knife me.
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For mine enemies have spoken against me, And those watching my soul have taken counsel together,
11 The gossip is: "God has abandoned him. Pounce on him now; no one will help him."
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Saying, `God hath forsaken him, Pursue and catch him, for there is no deliverer.'
12 God, don't just watch from the sidelines. Come on! Run to my side!
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O God, be not far from me, O my God, for my help make haste.
13 My accusers - make them lose face. Those out to get me - make them look
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They are ashamed, they are consumed, Who are opposing my soul, They are covered [with] reproach and blushing, Who are seeking my evil,
14 while I stretch out, reaching for you, and daily add praise to praise.
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And I continually do wait with hope, And have added unto all Thy praise.
15 I'll write the book on your righteousness, talk up your salvation the livelong day, never run out of good things to write or say.
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My mouth recounteth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy salvation, For I have not known the numbers.
16 I come in the power of the Lord God, I post signs marking his right-of-way.
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I come in the might of the Lord Jehovah, I mention Thy righteousness -- Thine only.
17 You got me when I was an unformed youth, God, and taught me everything I know. Now I'm telling the world your wonders;
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God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, And hitherto I declare Thy wonders.
18 I'll keep at it until I'm old and gray. God, don't walk off and leave me until I get out the news Of your strong right arm to this world, news of your power to the world yet to come,
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And also unto old age and grey hairs, O God, forsake me not, Till I declare Thy strength to a generation, To every one that cometh Thy might.
19 Your famous and righteous ways, O God. God, you've done it all! Who is quite like you?
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And Thy righteousness, O God, [is] unto the heights, Because Thou hast done great things, O God, who [is] like Thee?
20 You, who made me stare trouble in the face, Turn me around; Now let me look life in the face. I've been to the bottom;
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Because Thou hast showed me many and sad distresses, Thou turnest back -- Thou revivest me, And from the depths of the earth, Thou turnest back -- Thou bringest me up.
21 streaming with honors; turn to me, be tender to me,
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Thou dost increase my greatness, And Thou surroundest -- Thou comfortest me,
22 And I'll take up the lute and thank you to the tune of your faithfulness, God. I'll make music for you on a harp, Holy One of Israel.
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I also thank Thee with a vessel of psaltery, Thy truth, O my God, I sing to Thee with a harp, O Holy One of Israel,
23 When I open up in song to you, I let out lungsful of praise, my rescued life a song.
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My lips cry aloud when I sing praise to Thee, And my soul that Thou hast redeemed,
24 All day long I'm chanting about you and your righteous ways, While those who tried to do me in slink off looking ashamed.
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My tongue also all the day uttereth Thy righteousness, Because ashamed -- because confounded, Have been those seeking my evil!
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.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.