14 - A string of Zeros!

When the words of the Scriptures catch you by surprise you just have to share those words with others. I found this to be true today when I was reflecting on what to write for day14. Turning to the Psalms again, I came across Eugene Peterson's version of Psalm 14. At every verse I had to stop and digest his translation of David's words. My comments are in RED.

"Bilious and bloated, they gas, (....had to laugh at this image)
    “God is gone.”
Their words are poison gas,
    fouling the air; they poison
Rivers and skies;
    thistles are their cash crop.
 

² God sticks his head out of heaven. (....don't you just love this image too)
    He looks around.
He’s looking for someone not stupid—
    one man, even, God-expectant,
    just one God-ready woman.

³ He comes up empty. A string
    of zeros. Useless, unshepherded (... God comes up with a string of Zeros... love it!)
Sheep, taking turns pretending
    to be Shepherd.
The ninety and nine
    follow their fellow.

⁴ Don’t they know anything,
    all these impostors?
Don’t they know
    they can’t get away with this—
Treating people like a fast-food meal
    over which they’re too busy to pray? (...am I too busy to Pray?)

^5-6 Night is coming for them, and nightmares,
    for God takes the side of victims.
Do you think you can mess
    with the dreams of the poor?
You can’t, for God
    makes their dreams come true.

⁷ Is there anyone around to save Israel?
    Yes. God is around; God turns life around. (....such GOOD NEWS for us all.)

May God bless you today and remember these last words from verse 7.

God IS around.

God TURNS life around.

Living in Grace

D3LM3