The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God!
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It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 To announce your love each daybreak, sing your faithful presence all through the night,
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to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,
3 Accompanied by dulcimer and harp, the full-bodied music of strings.
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to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
4 You made me so happy, God. I saw your work and I shouted for joy.
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For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How magnificent your work, God! How profound your thoughts!
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How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!
6 Dullards never notice what you do; fools never do get it.
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The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this:
7 When the wicked popped up like weeds and all the evil men and women took over, You mowed them down, finished them off once and for all.
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that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 You, God, are High and Eternal.
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but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 Look at your enemies, God! Look at your enemies - ruined! Scattered to the winds, all those hirelings of evil!
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For behold, your enemies, O LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you've made me strong as a charging bison, you've honored me with a festive parade.
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But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 The sight of my critics going down is still fresh, the rout of my malicious detractors. My ears are filled with the sounds of promise:
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My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 "Good people will prosper like palm trees, Grow tall like Lebanon cedars;
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The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 transplanted to God's courtyard, They'll grow tall in the presence of God,
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They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 lithe and green, virile still in old age."
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They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,
15 Such witnesses to upright God! My Mountain, my huge, holy Mountain!
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to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
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 English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.