The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God, the gift of just rule to the crown prince.
1
Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
2 May he judge your people rightly, be honorable to your meek and lowly.
2
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3 Let the mountains give exuberant witness; shape the hills with the contours of right living.
3
The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 Please stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
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He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 Outlast the sun, outlive the moon - age after age after age.
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They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 Be rainfall on cut grass, earth-refreshing rain showers.
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He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 Let righteousness burst into blossom and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.
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In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
8 Rule from sea to sea, from the River to the Rim.
8
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 Foes will fall on their knees before God, his enemies lick the dust.
9
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 Kings remote and legendary will pay homage, kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth.
10
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 All kings will fall down and worship, and godless nations sign up to serve him,
11
Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12 Because he rescues the poor at the first sign of need, the destitute who have run out of luck.
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For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out, he restores the wretched of the earth.
13
He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He frees them from tyranny and torture - when they bleed, he bleeds; when they die, he dies.
14
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And live! Oh, let him live! Deck him out in Sheba gold. Offer prayers unceasing to him, bless him from morning to night.
15
And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
16 Fields of golden grain in the land, cresting the mountains in wild exuberance, Cornucopias of praise, praises springing from the city like grass from the earth.
16
There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 May he never be forgotten, his fame shine on like sunshine. May all godless people enter his circle of blessing and bless the One who blessed them.
17
His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
18 Blessed God, Israel's God, the one and only wonder-working God!
18
Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
19 Blessed always his blazing glory! All earth brims with his glory.
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And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 Yes and Yes and Yes.
20
The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
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.
The King James Version is in the public domain.