Contemporary adaptations of the Biblical Psalms

Master, we need your intervention.
The world has left your loyalty and turned to the empty praise of insecure masses. 

Their words are not tuned to truth, but rather spill the shallow comfort that conceal their real hearts.

Master, Jesus, may you close the mouths that multiply many words while delivering trivial truth.
You see the poor, the broken, the oppressed, that need the truth and verve of words
with real substance, and so you stand from your throne, your thoughts sharpened like a golden blade, unsheathed and aimed.

You, Master, will take your place in front of those cowering, and you will cut the thin arguments of the wicked to shreds.  Amen.

God, you shepherd me.
You care for me better than I care for myself.
You lead me to the supple grasses that nourish.
You stop me to drink from the clear waters, refreshing my soul.
You show the world your strong protection
by guiding me along the true and ancient trails.
 

When I, like a sheep, walk through dark canyons, 

Predators stalking, demons at my heels, 

I am emboldened, I see your shadow alongside me. 

You are here.
The crook of your staff rises over me. 

Ready to make the enemy whimper. 

Ready to pull me back when I wander.
 

You are the gracious host. 

You sit me down at your table. It dances with dark cherries,
crisp almonds, and soft cheeses. My cup of joy is filled to the rim. 

My host washes my hands himself. 

His protection and provision have just begun, 

I see all my days before me, and his goodness fills everyone.

My God! You are getting lifted today, because you lifted me at my moment of need, 

when my competitors thought I was finished.
Just when disease had latched on, just when death wrapped its boney fingers around my ankle, 

You tore me loose.

Here come the Songs of Deliverance.
Here come the Songs of Praise.
His anger turns to a lifetime of favor.

Night tears turn to morning rejoicing.

It is time to dance! Let my heart freely
praise Him, all the days of my life.

Don't be impressed by the word, "famous.'
When you come across ‘famous,’ put the sticker, ‘temporary’ on it.
Fame evaporates just like the water in the tea kettle.
Give it enough time and you're left with an empty cup.
It's better to pursue things that don't get much attention: 

Trusting your Maker, doing some good. 

These are the things that set up a safe future, 

God's hand giving you shelter and provision.
 

Or take it to another level, delight yourself in Jesus. 

Learn to enjoy him for who he is and what he's done. 

Talk about activating a promise, God will respond by giving you
the deep things your heart most desires.
From this day on, walk with Jesus. 

Believe that he has got you, and he does. 

Walk long enough and the world will see his glow in your eyes,
and taste his nourishment in your words.
Slow down, get in step with your savior.
Your direction won't look like everyone else,
and neither will your destination. 

Adversary of God, you're impressed with your ability to oppress, to damage, 

to knock over the tower of blocks like a toddler,
but it is the goodness of God, building block upon block that rises forever.
Your words sound pleasing but lead to dead ends.
Your lies move fast and fresh, but cut with intentions to kill.
What's worse, you delight in the pain, the hurt you cause.
You have lost your taste for the truth, and now can only enjoy deceit.
 

And so, God's destruction, weighted with justice, will pull you ever downward.
God will snare you in a trap, rip you out of your comfort, uproot you, cross you, and
banish you far from all living things.
God's cleansed ones will watch. They will tremble at his quick action, 

they will applaud his victory. They will shout at the devil's defeat.
"Look at the one who thought his strength was greater than the Lord’s!
Who was impressed with his beauty in the mirror, the gold in his hand,
and the deceit wedged in his heart.”
 

For our portion, we would rather stay rooted in God, protected in his greenhouse, 

growing as his tender shoots, watered by his mercy.
He will be the source of our praise, we will remember that He is
the champion that defeated the enemy.  We will tell all who are willing to hear, 

life has conquered death, truth has quelched the lie,

God has crushed the Satan forever. Amen.

My God, you've heard my night cries.
My voice rising, 'God, do you hear me?’
When life pressed on me, I pressed toward you,
lifting midnight hands, and with them,
lifting a comfortless soul.
My mind approached you, with groaning agony,
I held you in my thoughts, while my spirit faded.
Sleep, you withheld, 

speech, dried up.
I remembered days of your favor,
when my heart rejoiced in you.
 

I can't help asking, "Are those days forever lost?
Has the sun set on God's mercy?
Is the ocean of His love now a dry lake bed?
Have His promises gone to seed?
Has He become so angry, that even His kindness cowered?"
 

But there is yet another appeal.
It travels back to days of victory,
when miracles washed the earth, when darkness dispelled,
when evil fell into death's trap.
Yes, your ways, oh God, are victorious.
You, my Christ, are the good God,
the one with redemption’s track record.
The waters were afraid of you at the Red Sea.

The devil himself, at Calvary, convulsed.
The earth shook your victory.
The thunder shouted your praise.
We, too, will resound with heaven's victory.