23 June 2009

Reading the Psalms this summer

So my church has put out a challenge - to read 1 Pslam a day during the summer. We get most of our prayers from the book of Pslams so why not read 1 prayer a day! It's a cool challenge!

I thought that I would do this with everyone - so I'll post 1 Pslam a day until we're done. There are 150 Psalms, so I suspect this will take us well through the fall, but that's ok.

A few years ago for Christmas I received a new Bible from my Mom. This version is called "The Message" and it puts God's Word in an easily understood format. So that is the version I'll be using here. I really love this Bible, although this bible doesn't number each verse all the time, instead it says that this next passage is verses 1-6.

All the passages will be taken from BibleGateway.com

Since I started this on Sunday, I've read Pslams Chapters 1, 2 and 3...so I'll post those 3 Pslams in this post and starting tomorrow it'll be 1 Pslam a day until we get to the end of the book!

Psalm 1


1How 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.

2-3 Instead you thrill to God's Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.
You're a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom.

4-5 You're not at all like the wicked,
who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people.

6 God charts the road you take.
The road they take is Skid Row.

Psalm 2


1-6 Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth-leaders push for position,
Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:
"Let's get free of God!
Cast loose from Messiah!"
Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing.
At first he's amused at their presumption;
Then he gets good and angry.
Furiously, he shuts them up:
"Don't you know there's a King in Zion? A coronation banquet
Is spread for him on the holy summit."

7-9 Let me tell you what God said next.
He said, "You're my son,
And today is your birthday.
What do you want? Name it:
Nations as a present? continents as a prize?
You can command them all to dance for you,
Or throw them out with tomorrow's trash."

10-12 So, rebel-kings, use your heads;
Upstart-judges, learn your lesson:
Worship God in adoring embrace,
Celebrate in trembling awe. 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!

Psalm 3

1-2 God! Look! Enemies past counting! Enemies sprouting like mushrooms,
Mobs of them all around me, roaring their mockery:
"Hah! No help for him from God!"

3-4 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.

5-6 I stretch myself out. I sleep.
Then I'm up again—rested, tall and steady,
Fearless before the enemy mobs
Coming at me from all sides.

7 Up, God! My God, help me!
Slap their faces,
First this cheek, then the other,
Your fist hard in their teeth!

8 Real help comes from God.
Your blessing clothes your people!

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