The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 Bend an ear, God; answer me. I'm one miserable wretch!
1
Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2 Keep me safe - haven't I lived a good life? Help your servant - I'm depending on you!
2
Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3 You're my God; have mercy on me. I count on you from morning to night.
3
Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4 Give your servant a happy life; I put myself in your hands!
4
Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 You're well-known as good and forgiving, bighearted to all who ask for help.
5
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6 Pay attention, God, to my prayer; bend down and listen to my cry for help.
6
Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 Every time I'm in trouble I call on you, confident that you'll answer.
7
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8 There's no one quite like you among the gods, O Lord, and nothing to compare with your works.
8
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9 All the nations you made are on their way, ready to give honor to you, O Lord, Ready to put your beauty on display,
9
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
10 parading your greatness, And the great things you do - God, you're the one, there's no one but you!
10
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
11 Train me, God, to walk straight; then I'll follow your true path. Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear.
11
Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord; I've never kept secret what you're up to.
12
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 You've always been great toward me - what love! You snatched me from the brink of disaster!
13
For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14 God, these bullies have reared their heads! A gang of thugs is after me - and they don't care a thing about you.
14
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
15 But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit.
15
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16 So look me in the eye and show kindness, give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child!
16
O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17 Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, As you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet.
17
Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
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.