Readers' Theatre: Psalm 77

Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of Psalm 77 from Eugene Peterson’s The Message. It comes from the One Mind Mental Illness Ministry website.

Readers’ Theatre: Psalm 77

Cong:   I yell out to my God,
            I yell with all my might,
            I yell at the top of my lungs.

1:         He listens.

2:         I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord;
            my life was an open wound that wouldn’t heal.
            When friends said, “Everything will turn out all right,”
            I didn’t believe a word they said.

3:         I remember God—and shake my head.
            I bow my head—then wring my hands.
            I’m awake all night—not a wink of sleep;
            I can’t even say what is bothering me.

1:         I go over the days one by one,
            I ponder the years gone by.
            I strum my lute all through the night,
            wondering how to get my life together.
                                                                       
Cong:   Will the Lord walk off and leave us for good?
            Will he never smile again?
            Is his love worn threadbare?
            Has his salvation promise burned out?

2:         Has God forgotten his manners?
            Has he angrily stalked off and left us?     

3:         “Just my luck,” I said.
            “The High God goes out of business just the moment I need him.”

1:         Once again I’ll go over what God has done,
            lay out on the table the ancient wonders;
            I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished,
            and give a long, loving look at your acts.
                                                                       

Cong:   O God! Your way is holy!
            No god is great like God!
            You’re the God who makes things happen;
            you showed everyone what you can do—

2:         You pulled your people out of the worst kind of trouble,
            rescued the children of Jacob and Joseph.

3:         Ocean saw you in action, God,
            saw you and trembled with fear;
            Deep Ocean was scared to death.

Cong:   Clouds belched buckets of rain,
            Sky exploded with thunder,
            your arrows flashing this way and that.

1:         From Whirlwind came your thundering voice,
            Lightning exposed the world,
            Earth reeled and rocked.

2:         You strode right through Ocean,
            walked straight through roaring Ocean,
            but nobody saw you come or go.

All:       Hidden in the hands of Moses and Aaron,
            You led your people like a flock of sheep.
            Now, lead us O God. Lead us into this season of hope and promise.

~ from Bonnie Kinschner’s Blue Christmas Service.  From One Mind Mental Illness Ministryhttp://www.onemindmentalillnessministry.com/resources.html