Psalms

¹ God, God... my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere?

² all the day long. No answer. Nothing. I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.

³ leaning back on the cushions of Israel's praise?

⁴ We know you were there for our parents:

⁵ they trusted and lived a good life.

⁶ something to step on, to squash.

⁷ they make faces at me, they shake their heads:

⁸ since God likes him so much, let him help him!"

⁹ setting me at my mother's breasts!

¹⁰ since the moment of birth you've been my God.

¹¹ and trouble moved in next-door. I need a neighbor.

¹² the raging bulls stampede,

¹³ like a herd of buffalo on the move.

¹⁴ every joint in my body has been pulled apart. My heart is a blob of melted wax in my gut.

¹⁵ my tongue black and swollen. They have laid me out for burial in the dirt.

¹⁶ thugs gang up on me. They pin me down hand and foot,

¹⁷ Of bones in a cage, stared at by every passerby.

¹⁸ and then throw dice for my clothes.

¹⁹ Hurry and help me!

²⁰ don't let those mongrels devour me.

²¹ I'm done for—gored by the bulls, meat for the lions.

²² and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:

²³ give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel.

²⁴ 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 I have discovered this praise-life. And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers.

²⁶ 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 people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him.

²⁸ from now on he has the last word.

²⁹ —worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too —worshiping! Along with those who never got it together —worshiping!

³⁰ will get in on this As the word is passed along from parent to child.

³¹ will hear the good news— that God does what he says.