The Message (MSG)

A David Psalm, When He Was Out in the Judean Wilderness

1 God—you’re my God!

I can’t get enough of you!

I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God,

traveling across dry and weary deserts.

2-4 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,

drinking in your strength and glory.

In your generous love I am really living at last!

My lips brim praises like fountains.

I bless you every time I take a breath;

My arms wave like banners of praise to you.

5-8 I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy;

I smack my lips. It’s time to shout praises!

If I’m sleepless at midnight,

I spend the hours in grateful reflection.

Because you’ve always stood up for me,

I’m free to run and play.

I hold on to you for dear life,

and you hold me steady as a post.

9-11 Those who are out to get me are marked for doom,

marked for death, bound for hell.

They’ll die violent deaths;

jackals will tear them limb from limb.

But the king is glad in God;

his true friends spread the joy,

While small-minded gossips

are gagged for good.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/63-96f4a8e1e0b24ff830928a6072da6d2b.mp3?version_id=97—

A David Psalm

1 Listen and help, O God.

I’m reduced to a whine

And a whimper, obsessed

with feelings of doomsday.

2-6 Don’t let them find me—

the conspirators out to get me,

Using their tongues as weapons,

flinging poison words,

poison-tipped arrow-words.

They shoot from ambush,

shoot without warning,

not caring who they hit.

They keep fit doing calisthenics

of evil purpose,

They keep lists of the traps

they’ve secretly set.

They say to each other,

“No one can catch us,

no one can detect our perfect crime.”

The Detective detects the mystery

in the dark of the cellar heart.

7-8 The God of the Arrow shoots!

They double up in pain,

Fall flat on their faces

in full view of the grinning crowd.

9-10 Everyone sees it. God’s

work is the talk of the town.

Be glad, good people! Fly toGod!

Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/64-4a432e107400e81511965f2139b684ec.mp3?version_id=97—

A David Psalm

1-2 Silence is praise to you,

Zion-dwelling God,

And also obedience.

You hear the prayer in it all.

2-8 We all arrive at your doorstep sooner

or later, loaded with guilt,

Our sins too much for us—

but you get rid of them once and for all.

Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest

at home in your place!

We expect our fill of good things

in your house, your heavenly manse.

All your salvation wonders

are on display in your trophy room.

Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer,

Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser,

Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash,

of mobs in noisy riot—

Far and wide they’ll come to a stop,

they’ll stare in awe, in wonder.

Dawn and dusk take turns

calling, “Come and worship.”

9-13 Oh, visit the earth,

ask her to join the dance!

Deck her out in spring showers,

fill the God-River with living water.

Paint the wheat fields golden.

Creation was made for this!

Drench the plowed fields,

soak the dirt clods

With rainfall as harrow and rake

bring her to blossom and fruit.

Snow-crown the peaks with splendor,

scatter rose petals down your paths,

All through the wild meadows, rose petals.

Set the hills to dancing,

Dress the canyon walls with live sheep,

a drape of flax across the valleys.

Let them shout, and shout, and shout!

Oh, oh, let them sing!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/65-5b16b68f0ba328f1e737aaeac8272243.mp3?version_id=97—

1-4 All together now—applause for God!

Sing songs to the tune of his glory,

set glory to the rhythms of his praise.

Say of God, “We’ve never seen anything like him!”

When your enemies see you in action,

they slink off like scolded dogs.

The whole earth falls to its knees—

it worships you, sings to you,

can’t stop enjoying your name and fame.

5-6 Take a good look at God’s wonders—

they’ll take your breath away.

He converted sea to dry land;

travelers crossed the river on foot.

Now isn’t that cause for a song?

7 Ever sovereign in his high tower, he keeps

his eye on the godless nations.

Rebels don’t dare

raise a finger against him.

8-12 Bless our God, O peoples!

Give him a thunderous welcome!

Didn’t he set us on the road to life?

Didn’t he keep us out of the ditch?

He trained us first,

passed us like silver through refining fires,

Brought us into hardscrabble country,

pushed us to our very limit,

Road-tested us inside and out,

took us to hell and back;

Finally he brought us

to this well-watered place.

13-15 I’m bringing my prizes and presents to your house.

I’m doing what I said I’d do,

What I solemnly swore I’d do

that day when I was in so much trouble:

The choicest cuts of meat

for the sacrificial meal;

Even the fragrance

of roasted lamb is like a meal!

Or make it an ox

garnished with goat meat!

16-20 All believers, come here and listen,

let me tell you what God did for me.

I called out to him with my mouth,

my tongue shaped the sounds of music.

If I had been cozy with evil,

the Lord would never have listened.

But he most surelydidlisten,

he came on the double when he heard my prayer.

Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear,

he stayed with me, loyal in his love.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/66-4d43ce1ec249a812761408f209cb788f.mp3?version_id=97—

1-7 God, mark us with grace

and blessing! Smile!

The whole country will see how you work,

all the godless nations see how you save.

God! Let people thank and enjoy you.

Let all people thank and enjoy you.

Let all far-flung people become happy

and shout their happiness because

You judge them fair and square,

you tend the far-flung peoples.

God! Let people thank and enjoy you.

Let all people thank and enjoy you.

Earth, display your exuberance!

You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.

You mark us with blessing, O God.

Earth’s four corners—honor him!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/67-41d83005103dac52d52a68fdd675908a.mp3?version_id=97—

A David Psalm

1-4 Up with God!

Down with his enemies!

Adversaries, run for the hills!

Gone like a puff of smoke,

like a blob of wax in the fire—

one look at God and the wicked vanish.

When the righteous see God in action

they’ll laugh, they’ll sing,

they’ll laugh and sing for joy.

Sing hymns to God;

all heaven, sing out;

clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider.

EnjoyGod,

cheer when you see him!

5-6 Father of orphans,

champion of widows,

is God in his holy house.

God makes homes for the homeless,

leads prisoners to freedom,

but leaves rebels to rot in hell.

7-10 God, when you took the lead with your people,

when you marched out into the wild,

Earth shook, sky broke out in a sweat;

God was on the march.

Even Sinai trembled at the sight of God on the move,

at the sight of Israel’s God.

You pour out rain in buckets, O God;

thorn and cactus become an oasis

For your people to camp in and enjoy.

You set them up in business;

they went from rags to riches.

11-14 The Lord gave the word;

thousands called out the good news:

“Kings of the armies

are on the run, on the run!”

While housewives, safe and sound back home,

divide up the plunder,

the plunder of Canaanite silver and gold.

On that day that Shaddai scattered the kings,

snow fell on Black Mountain.

15-16 You huge mountains, Bashan mountains,

mighty mountains, dragon mountains.

All you mountains not chosen,

sulk now, and feel sorry for yourselves,

For this is the mountain God has chosen to live on;

he’ll rule from this mountain forever.

17-18 The chariots of God, twice ten thousand,

and thousands more besides,

The Lord in the lead, riding down Sinai—

straight to the Holy Place!

You climbed to the High Place, captives in tow,

your arms full of booty from rebels,

And now you sit there in state,

God, sovereignGod!

19-23 Blessed be the Lord—

day after day he carries us along.

He’s our Savior, our God, oh yes!

He’s God-for-us, he’s God-who-saves-us.

LordGodknows all

death’s ins and outs.

What’s more, he made heads roll,

split the skulls of the enemy

As he marched out of heaven,

saying, “I tied up the Dragon in knots,

put a muzzle on the Deep Blue Sea.”

You can wade through your enemies’ blood,

and your dogs taste of your enemies from your boots.

24-31 See God on parade

to the sanctuary, my God,

my King on the march!

Singers out front, the band behind,

maidens in the middle with castanets.

The whole choir blesses God.

Like a fountain of praise, Israel blessesGod.

Look—little Benjamin’s out

front and leading

Princes of Judah in their royal robes,

princes of Zebulun, princes of Naphtali.

Parade your power, O God,

the power, O God, that made us what we are.

Your temple, High God, is Jerusalem;

kings bring gifts to you.

Rebuke that old crocodile, Egypt,

with her herd of wild bulls and calves,

Rapacious in her lust for silver,

crushing peoples, spoiling for a fight.

Let Egyptian traders bring blue cloth

and Cush come running to God, her hands outstretched.

32-34 Sing, O kings of the earth!

Sing praises to the Lord!

There he is: Sky-Rider,

striding the ancient skies.

Listen—he’s calling in thunder,

rumbling, rolling thunder.

Call out “Bravo!” to God,

the High God of Israel.

His splendor and strength

rise huge as thunderheads.

35 A terrible beauty, O God,

streams from your sanctuary.

It’s Israel’s strong God! He gives

power and might to his people!

O you, his people—bless God!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/68-dacc25325313a902af92ec5a76cde83a.mp3?version_id=97—

A David Psalm

1 God, God, save me!

I’m in over my head,

2 Quicksand under me, swamp water over me;

I’m going down for the third time.

3 I’m hoarse from calling for help,

Bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God.

4 I’ve got more enemies than hairs on my head;

Sneaks and liars are out to knife me in the back.

What I never stole

Must I now give back?

5 God, you know every sin I’ve committed;

My life’s a wide-open book before you.

6 Don’t let those who look to you in hope

Be discouraged by what happens to me,

Dear Lord!Godof the armies!

Don’t let those out looking for you

Come to a dead end by following me—

Please, dear God of Israel!

7 Because of you I look like an idiot,

I walk around ashamed to show my face.

8 My brothers shun me like a bum off the street;

My family treats me like an unwanted guest.

9 I love you more than I can say.

Because I’m madly in love with you,

They blame me for everything they dislike about you.

10 When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting,

All it got me was more contempt.

11 When I put on a sad face,

They treated me like a clown.

12 Now drunks and gluttons

Make up drinking songs about me.

13 And me? I pray.

God, it’s time for a break!

God, answer in love!

Answer with your sure salvation!

14 Rescue me from the swamp,

Don’t let me go under for good,

Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy;

This whirlpool is sucking me down.

15 Don’t let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole

Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me.

16 Now answer me,God, because you love me;

Let me see your great mercy full-face.

17 Don’t look the other way; your servant can’t take it.

I’m in trouble. Answer right now!

18 Come close, God; get me out of here.

Rescue me from this deathtrap.

19 You know how they kick me around—

Pin on me the donkey’s ears, the dunce’s cap.

20 I’m broken by their taunts,

Flat on my face, reduced to a nothing.

I looked in vain for one friendly face. Not one.

I couldn’t find one shoulder to cry on.

21 They put poison in my soup,

Vinegar in my drink.

22 Let their supper be bait in a trap that snaps shut;

May their best friends be trappers who’ll skin them alive.

23 Make them become blind as bats,

Give them the shakes from morning to night.

24 Let them know what you think of them,

Blast them with your red-hot anger.

25 Burn down their houses,

Leave them desolate with nobody at home.

26 They gossiped about the one you disciplined,

Made up stories about anyone wounded by God.

27 Pile on the guilt,

Don’t let them off the hook.

28 Strike their names from the list of the living;

No rock-carved honor for them among the righteous.

29 I’m hurt and in pain;

Give me space for healing, and mountain air.

30 Let me shout God’s name with a praising song,

Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.

31 ForGod, this is better than oxen on the altar,

Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.

32 The poor in spirit see and are glad—

Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!

33 ForGodlistens to the poor,

He doesn’t walk out on the wretched.

34 You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth;

Also ocean and all things that swim in it.

35 For God is out to help Zion,

Rebuilding the wrecked towns of Judah.

Guess who will live there—

The proud owners of the land?

36 No, the children of his servants will get it,

The lovers of his name will live in it.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/69-a1f3cf4da1383cbbc9d9ef85852fab1e.mp3?version_id=97—

A David Prayer

1-3 God! Please hurry to my rescue!

God, come quickly to my side!

Those who are out to get me—

let them fall all over themselves.

Those who relish my downfall—

send them down a blind alley.

Give them a taste of their own medicine,

those gossips off clucking their tongues.

4 Let those on the hunt for you

sing and celebrate.

Let all who love your saving way

say over and over, “God is mighty!”

5 But I’ve lost it. I’m wasted.

God—quickly, quickly!

Quick to my side, quick to my rescue!

God, don’t lose a minute.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/70-52abadc3363d23009760aefcd778829a.mp3?version_id=97—

1-3 I run for dear life toGod,

I’ll never live to regret it.

Do what you do so well:

get me out of this mess and up on my feet.

Put your ear to the ground and listen,

give me space for salvation.

Be a guest room where I can retreat;

you said your door was always open!

You’re my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.

4-7 My God, free me from the grip of Wicked,

from the clutch of Bad and Bully.

You keep me going when times are tough—

my bedrock,God, since my childhood.

I’ve hung on you from the day of my birth,

the day you took me from the cradle;

I’ll never run out of praise.

Many gasp in alarm when they see me,

but you take me in stride.

8-11 Just as each day brims with your beauty,

my mouth brims with praise.

But don’t turn me out to pasture when I’m old

or put me on the shelf when I can’t pull my weight.

My enemies are talking behind my back,

watching for their chance to knife me.

The gossip is: “God has abandoned him.

Pounce on him now; no one will help him.”

12-16 God, don’t just watch from the sidelines.

Come on! Run to my side!

My accusers—make them lose face.

Those out to get me—make them look

Like idiots, while I stretch out, reaching for you,

and daily add praise to praise.

I’ll write the book on your righteousness,

talk up your salvation the livelong day,

never run out of good things to write or say.

I come in the power of the LordGod,

I post signs marking his right-of-way.

17-24 You got me when I was an unformed youth,

God, and taught me everything I know.

Now I’m telling the world your wonders;

I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray.

God, don’t walk off and leave me

until I get out the news

Of your strong right arm to this world,

news of your power to the world yet to come,

Your famous and righteous

ways, O God.

God, you’ve done it all!

Who is quite like you?

You, who made me stare trouble in the face,

Turn me around;

Now let me look life in the face.

I’ve been to the bottom;

Bring me up, streaming with honors;

turn to me, be tender to me,

And I’ll take up the lute and thank you

to the tune of your faithfulness, God.

I’ll make music for you on a harp,

Holy One of Israel.

When I open up in song to you,

I let out lungsful of praise,

my rescued life a song.

All day long I’m chanting

about you and your righteous ways,

While those who tried to do me in

slink off looking ashamed.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/71-fb974c9bb6b662fc918f320015073c92.mp3?version_id=97—

A Solomon Psalm

1-8 Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God,

the gift of just rule to the crown prince.

May he judge your people rightly,

be honorable to your meek and lowly.

Let the mountains give exuberant witness;

shape the hills with the contours of right living.

Please stand up for the poor,

help the children of the needy,

come down hard on the cruel tyrants.

Outlast the sun, outlive the moon—

age after age after age.

Be rainfall on cut grass,

earth-refreshing rain showers.

Let righteousness burst into blossom

and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.

Rule from sea to sea,

from the River to the Rim.

9-14 Foes will fall on their knees before God,

his enemies lick the dust.

Kings remote and legendary will pay homage,

kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth.

All kings will fall down and worship,

and godless nations sign up to serve him,

Because he rescues the poor at the first sign of need,

the destitute who have run out of luck.

He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out,

he restores the wretched of the earth.

He frees them from tyranny and torture—

when they bleed, he bleeds;

when they die, he dies.

15-17 And live! Oh, let him live!

Deck him out in Sheba gold.

Offer prayers unceasing to him,

bless him from morning to night.

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.

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.

18-20 BlessedGod, Israel’s God,

the one and only wonder-working God!

Blessed always his blazing glory!

All earth brims with his glory.

Yes and Yes and Yes.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/85/32k/PSA/72-6096355b5e2cb82ac65b2e6ab179812e.mp3?version_id=97—