Psalms In The Message

I will list some not so functionally-equivalent renderings . I'll just give the chapter from which the wordings are found . I will only be giving phrases ,( most of the time ) not entire verses .This can be like a game to determine what verse it can in a most tortuous fashion be found .

Chapter 6 : Treat me nice for a change ; I'm so starved for affection .

Chapter 8 : I look up at your macro-skies , dark and enormous , your handmade sky-jewelry , Moon and stars mounted in their settings . Then I look at my micro-self and woder , Why do you bother with us ? Why take a second look our way ?

Chapter 10 : Time to get up Yahweh -- get moving .

Chapter 11 : Once we're standing tall , we can look him straight in the eye .

Chap. 17 : My words don't run loose .

Chap. 18 : When I got my act together .

Chap. 19 : The decisions of Yahweh are accurate down to the nth degree .

21 : You purge the earth of their progeny

22: punctuate it with Hallelujahs

Various renderings from Chapter 25

You won't embarrass me , will you ?

Don't embarrass any of us Who went out on a limb for you

Mark the milestones of your mercy and love , Yahweh

Forget that I sowed wild oats

Yaheh , give your people a break From this run of bad luck .

Selections from Chapter 29

Bravo , Yahweh , Bravo ! Gods and all angels shout , "Encore !"

Yahweh's thunder tympanic, Yahweh's thunder symphonic .

 

I agree with both of your sentiments Rob. I just thought I would post the most surprising ones in this thread . These are the ones which I think deviate too far from the original . On another thread , at another time ,I'll list some of his lines which aren't that different from the NLTse . Still a bit too loose compared to the NASBU , but closer than many would expect .Other renderings of his aren't that bad . They may be too paraphrasic -- but still arresting .

 

30: He gets angry once in a while

31: Take me seriously this time ! Get down on my level and listen,and please -- no procrastination !

35: Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me

Yahweh ,how long are you going to stand there doing nothing ?

36 : God's love is meteoric , his loyalty astronomic, His purpose titantic , his verdicts oceanic .

38 : Take deep breath ,Yahweh : calm down .

39 : Give me a break , cut me some slack before it's too late and I'm out of here .

 

I agree with you David. I should have attached a warning statement with these snippets .I would steer a new believer or non-Christian away from this particular translation .

 

Yeah Rob . Don't jump the gun on me . Don't steal my thunder while you're at it either !

Sometimes E.P. communicates the thoughts of the Psalmist wonderfully . In verse 9 it has "Yahweh" , instead of "God" though .

 

Again , the numbers refer to the chapters . I'll let you guess the verses to which these more surprising wordings could possibly refer .

40
Soften up , Yahweh , and intervene

You can do it; you've got what it takes --

41
Blessed is Yahweh, Israel's God , always , always , always . Yes. Yes. Yes .

42
I want to drink God , deep draughts of God .

45
the king is wild for you .

47
Applause , everyone . Bravo , bravissimo !

48
Your name , God , evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever It is spoken , near and far

50
lying is a serious art form with you [ EP is referencing the wicked , not God here ]

Time's up for playing fast and loose with me . [ I can just imagine how you folks might apply that one .]

51
in the wrong since before I was born. [ WD won't like that one ]

Tune me in to foot-tapping songs , set these once-broken bones to dancing .

54
Treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray ?

58
their first words out of the womb are lies .[ see 51 ]

Let them dissolve into snail slime

59
Bring them down in slow motion

 

Rob , I haven't stopped laughing since I saw this a minute ago . Yeah , my 'version' must be quite loose compared to your more formally-equivalent version .

 

The numbers represent the chapters . It's up to you to discover the verse ( or phrase from the verse )it's referencing .

61
You've always given me breathing room

62
two times nothing is nothing

63
Those who are out to get me are marked out for doom

66
Road-tested us inside and out

77
Has God forgotten his manners ?[ I didn't write this stuff . I'm only reporting it .-- Rip ]

78
He let his pride go to the dogs

79
God , give us a break .

Is he out to lunch ?

80
Get out of bed -- you've slept long enough !

Give them a look that will kill !

81
don't worship the latest in gods .

82
make sure that the underdogs get a fair break

83
don't give me the silent treatment , O God .

86
Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed

89
You gave that old hag Egypt the back of your hand

90
treat your servants with kindness for a change .

96
Bravo , Yahweh , Bravo !

Let Wilderness turn cartwheels

98
He remembered to love us , a bonus

Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!"

101
But no one who traffics in lies gets a job with me

 

Okay , I get The Message -- you're a Message-Only kind of guy aren't you ?You don't want anyone messing with the one and only , genuine and original Message .

 

Continuing with snips from the Psalms with The Message .

106
provoked God with their insistent demands

114
the hills frolicked like spring lambs

119
I love traveling this freeway!

They're bland as a bucket of lard , while I dance to the tune of your revelation .

Oh , how I love all you've revealed ; I reverently ponder it all the day long .

Your words are so choice , so tasty ; I prefer them to the best home cooking .

I despise every deceitful detour .

Your decisions are right on target .

Salvation is only gibberish to the wicked because they've never looked it up in your dictionary .

You keep everything running right .

Let praise casade off my lips

125
corral them with the incorrigibles .

135
He does just as he pleases -- however , wherever , whenever.

140
let them drown in their own verbal poison

141
Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising

Post a guard at my mouth , Yahweh,
set a watch at the door of my lips.

make them face the music.

I only have eyes for you.

all their demonic subterfuge.

145
everything he does is suffused with grace.

the trademark on all his works is love .

147
He's not impressed with horsepower

149
festoons plain folks with salvation garlands !