Psalms 1; Psalms 2; Psalms 15; Psalms 22; Psalms 23; Psalms 24; Psalms 47; Psalms 68

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Psalms 1

1 How well God must like you - you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.
2 Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.
3 You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.
4 You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust -
5 Without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people.
6 God charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row.
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.

Psalms 2

1 Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples?
2 Earth-leaders push for position, Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks, The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:
3 "Let's get free of God! Cast loose from Messiah!"
4 Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing. At first he's amused at their presumption;
5 Then he gets good and angry. Furiously, he shuts them up:
6 "Don't you know there's a King in Zion? A coronation banquet Is spread for him on the holy summit."
7 Let me tell you what God said next. He said, "You're my son, And today is your birthday.
8 What do you want? Name it: Nations as a present? continents as a prize?
9 You can command them all to dance for you, Or throw them out with tomorrow's trash."
10 So, rebel-kings, use your heads; Upstart-judges, learn your lesson:
11 Worship God in adoring embrace,
12 Kiss Messiah! Your very lives are in danger, you know; His anger is about to explode, But if you make a run for God - you won't regret it!
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.

Psalms 15

1 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?
2 "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.
3 "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor;
4 despise the despicable. "Keep your word even when it costs you,
5 make an honest living, never take a bribe. "You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."
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.

Psalms 22

1 God, God . . . my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere?
2 Doubled up with pain, I call to God all the day long. No answer. Nothing. I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.
3 And you! Are you indifferent, above it all, leaning back on the cushions of Israel's praise?
4 We know you were there for our parents:
5 they cried for your help and you gave it; they trusted and lived a good life.
6 And here I am, a nothing - an earthworm, something to step on, to squash.
7 Everyone pokes fun at me; they make faces at me, they shake their heads:
8 "Let's see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much, let him help him!"
9 And to think you were midwife at my birth, setting me at my mother's breasts!
10 When I left the womb you cradled me; since the moment of birth you've been my God.
11 Then you moved far away and trouble moved in next-door. I need a neighbor.
12 Herds of bulls come at me, the raging bulls stampede,
13 Horns lowered, nostrils flaring, like a herd of buffalo on the move.
14 I'm a bucket kicked over and spilled, every joint in my body has been pulled apart. My heart is a blob of melted wax in my gut.
15 I'm dry as a bone, my tongue black and swollen. They have laid me out for burial in the dirt.
16 Now packs of wild dogs come at me; thugs gang up on me. They pin me down hand and foot,
17 and lock me in a cage - a bag Of bones in a cage, stared at by every passerby.
18 They take my wallet and the shirt off my back, and then throw dice for my clothes.
19 You, God - don't put off my rescue! Hurry and help me!
20 Don't let them cut my throat; don't let those mongrels devour me.
21 If you don't show up soon, I'm done for - gored by the bulls, meat for the lions.
22 Here's the story I'll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
23 Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel.
24 He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.
25 Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life. And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers.
26 Down-and-outers sit at God's table and eat their fill. Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him. "Live it up, from head to toe. Don't ever quit!"
27 From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him.
28 God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.
29 All the power-mongers are before him - worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too - worshiping! Along with those who never got it together - worshiping!
30 Our children and their children will get in on this As the word is passed along from parent to child.
31 Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news - that God does what he says.
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.

Psalms 23

1 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.
2 You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.
3 True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure
5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.
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.

Psalms 24

1 God claims Earth and everything in it, God claims World and all who live on it.
2 He built it on Ocean foundations, laid it out on River girders.
3 Who can climb Mount God? Who can scale the holy north-face?
4 Only the clean-handed, only the pure-hearted; Men who won't cheat, women who won't seduce.
5 God is at their side; with God's help they make it.
6 This, Jacob, is what happens to God-seekers, God-questers.
7 Wake up, you sleepyhead city! Wake up, you sleepyhead people! King-Glory is ready to enter.
8 Who is this King-Glory? God, armed and battle-ready.
9 Wake up, you sleepyhead city! Wake up, you sleepyhead people! King-Glory is ready to enter.
10 Who is this King-Glory? God of the angel armies: he is King-Glory.
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.

Psalms 47

1 Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo! Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
2 God Most High is stunning, astride land and ocean.
3 He crushes hostile people, puts nations at our feet.
4 He set us at the head of the line, prize-winning Jacob, his favorite.
5 Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain, a ram's horn blast at the summit.
6 Sing songs to God, sing out! Sing to our King, sing praise!
7 He's Lord over earth, so sing your best songs to God.
8 God is Lord of godless nations - sovereign, he's King of the mountain.
9 Princes from all over are gathered, people of Abraham's God. The powers of earth are God's - he soars over all.
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.

Psalms 68

1 Up with God! Down with his enemies! Adversaries, run for the hills!
2 Gone like a puff of smoke, like a blob of wax in the fire - one look at God and the wicked vanish.
3 When the righteous see God in action they'll laugh, they'll sing, they'll laugh and sing for joy.
4 Sing hymns to God; all heaven, sing out; clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider. Enjoy God, cheer when you see him!
5 Father of orphans, champion of widows, is God in his holy house.
6 God makes homes for the homeless, leads prisoners to freedom, but leaves rebels to rot in hell.
7 God, when you took the lead with your people, when you marched out into the wild,
8 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.
9 You pour out rain in buckets, O God; thorn and cactus become an oasis
10 For your people to camp in and enjoy. You set them up in business; they went from rags to riches.
11 The Lord gave the word; thousands called out the good news:
12 "Kings of the armies are on the run, on the run!"
13 While housewives, safe and sound back home, divide up the plunder, the plunder of Canaanite silver and gold.
14 On that day that Shaddai scattered the kings, snow fell on Black Mountain.
15 You huge mountains, Bashan mountains, mighty mountains, dragon mountains.
16 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 The chariots of God, twice ten thousand, and thousands more besides, The Lord in the lead, riding down Sinai - straight to the Holy Place!
18 You climbed to the High Place, captives in tow, your arms full of booty from rebels, And now you sit there in state, God, sovereign God!
19 Blessed be the Lord - day after day he carries us along.
20 He's our Savior, our God, oh yes! He's God-for-us, he's God-who-saves-us. Lord God knows all death's ins and outs.
21 What's more, he made heads roll, split the skulls of the enemy As he marched out of heaven,
22 saying, "I tied up the Dragon in knots, put a muzzle on the Deep Blue Sea."
23 You can wade through your enemies' blood, and your dogs taste of your enemies from your boots.
24 See God on parade to the sanctuary, my God, my King on the march!
25 Singers out front, the band behind, maidens in the middle with castanets.
26 The whole choir blesses God. Like a fountain of praise, Israel blesses God.
27 Look - little Benjamin's out front and leading Princes of Judah in their royal robes, princes of Zebulon, princes of Naphtali.
28 Parade your power, O God, the power, O God, that made us what we are.
29 Your temple, High God, is Jerusalem; kings bring gifts to you.
30 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.
31 Let Egyptian traders bring blue cloth and Cush come running to God, her hands outstretched.
32 Sing, O kings of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord!
33 There he is: Sky-Rider, striding the ancient skies. Listen - he's calling in thunder, rumbling, rolling thunder.
34 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!
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.