The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 God calls the judges into his courtroom, he puts all the judges in the dock.
1
God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
2 "Enough! You've corrupted justice long enough, you've let the wicked get away with murder.
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How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
3 You're here to defend the defenseless, to make sure that underdogs get a fair break;
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Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Your job is to stand up for the powerless, and prosecute all those who exploit them."
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Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
5 Ignorant judges! Head-in-the-sand judges! They haven't a clue to what's going on. And now everything's falling apart, the world's coming unglued.
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They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6 "I commissioned you judges, each one of you, deputies of the High God,
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I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7 But you've betrayed your commission and now you're stripped of your rank, busted."
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But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
8 O God, give them their just deserts! You've got the whole world in your hands!
8
Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
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.