Change of Pace

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

So.  I'm going to a week long worship school in 4 weeks.

Song writing is one of the main focuses of the week.

I've done a patch here and there...the only ones that have seen an audience to date have been parodies.

So I thought I should do a little prep work; can I get the creative juices going just a little before I jump into something that may well be over my head??

So I thought I'd do some reading in Psalms.

And I decided to shake up my usual by reading The Message.

Now, there are times when The Message hits a nerve; shows me something fresh in a new way. But I gotta be honest...most of the time it strikes me as being too trendy, too aware of itself, if that makes any sense.

Like it's trying too hard to be liked.  To be cool and hip.

But whatever.

Looking for a shock to my system, I thought, I'll pull out my copy and read through Psalms and see how Eugene renders those Hebrew hymns.  Maybe a fresh look at familiar texts in a contemporary setting will spark some creativity.

Ps. 1:1, in the Message, reads like this:

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.

Sigh.  Do you see what I mean?

Now, I really don't intend to critique the translation, it just strikes me a little off at times.    If I were a newcomer to the Scripture and read that, I would almost think the author was being sarcastic.

But I didn't stop because that first verse had me shaking my head, and  it is for sure giving me a fresh look at these old songs....

But you, GOD,  shield me on all sides;
You ground my feet, you lift my head high; 
With all my might I shout up to GOD,
His answers thunder from the holy mountain.  (3:3-4)

Look at this: look
Who got picked by God!
He listens the split second I call to Him. (4:3)

I LOVE this one:

Every morning 
I lay out the pieces of my life
on your altar
and watch for fire to descend. (5:3)

This one made me chuckle:

Please, GOD, no more yelling, 
no more trips to the woodshed.  
Treat me nice for a change;
I'm so starved for affection. (6:1-2)

I don't know how much this will break loose language in my spirit, but it's certainly going to be a bracing bit of reading...