Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 <<For the Chief Musician. To the tune "The Lilies of the Covenant." A Psalm by Asaf.>> Hear us, Shepherd of Yisra'el, You who lead Yosef like a flock, You who sit above the Keruvim, shine forth.
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Listen, Shepherd, Israel's Shepherd - get all your Joseph sheep together. Throw beams of light from your dazzling throne
2 Before Efrayim and Binyamin and Menashsheh, stir up your might, Come to save us.
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So Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh can see where they're going. Get out of bed - you've slept long enough! Come on the run before it's too late.
3 Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, And we will be saved.
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God, come back! Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.
4 LORD God Tzva'ot, How long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?
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God, God of the angel armies, how long will you smolder like a sleeping volcano while your people call for fire and brimstone?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, And given them tears to drink in large measure.
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You put us on a diet of tears, bucket after bucket of salty tears to drink.
6 You make us a source of contention to our neighbors. Our enemies laugh among themselves.
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You make us look ridiculous to our friends; our enemies poke fun day after day.
7 Turn us again, God Tzva'ot. Cause your face to shine, And we will be saved.
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God of the angel armies, come back! Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.
8 You brought a vine out of Mitzrayim. You drove out the nations, and planted it.
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Remember how you brought a young vine from Egypt, cleared out the brambles and briers and planted your very own vineyard?
9 You cleared the ground for it. It took deep root, and filled the land.
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You prepared the good earth, you planted her roots deep; the vineyard filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shadow. Its boughs were like God's cedars.
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Your vine soared high and shaded the mountains, even dwarfing the giant cedars.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea, Its shoots to the River.
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Your vine ranged west to the Sea, east to the River.
12 Why have you broken down its walls, So that all those who pass by the way pluck it?
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So why do you no longer protect your vine? Trespassers pick its grapes at will;
13 The boar out of the wood ravages it. The wild animals of the field feed on it.
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Wild pigs crash through and crush it, and the mice nibble away at what's left.
14 Turn again, we beg you, God Tzva'ot. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,
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God of the angel armies, turn our way! Take a good look at what's happened and attend to this vine.
15 The stock which your right hand planted, The branch that you made strong for yourself.
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Care for what you once tenderly planted - the vine you raised from a shoot.
16 It is burned with fire. It is cut down. They perish at your rebuke.
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And those who dared to set it on fire - give them a look that will kill!
17 Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, On the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.
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Then take the hand of your once-favorite child, the child you raised to adulthood.
18 So we will not turn away from you. Revive us, and we will call on your name.
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We will never turn our back on you; breathe life into our lungs so we can shout your name!
19 Turn us again, LORD God Tzva'ot. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
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God, God of the angel armies, come back! Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
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.