Psalm 116 in Paraphrase

Here’s a re-working of Psalm 116: 1-8, 12-14, 17-18 from Calvin Seerfeld.  It was published in "Voicing God's Psalms."

Psalm Paraphrase:

Psalm 116

I love the Lord because God hears me when I cry and pray,
Yes, God bent God’s ear down to me,
and I’ll talk about it the rest of my life!

I was caught in a dead end.
The cramp of the grave had a hold on me;
pain and trouble kept hurting.
So I called out loud on the name of the Lord:
Lord God, please! Get me out—save my life!

Full of mercy is the Lord God, just—yes—
but our God spills compassion over!

The Lord God takes loving care of those open to temptation—
when I was cut down to size, God took care of me—
so calm down, fellow; the Lord has given you what was good!

That’s so.
You got me out of the dead end.
You have stopped my eyes from filling with tears!
You have kept me from walking into ruin—Yes!

What shall I give the Lord God?
So many lovely surprises God has given me.
I know, I shall toast the Lord with the cup of victory—
Cheers for the Lord God!
I will do what I vowed the Lord God I would too,
and I’ll do it right among God’s people.

Yes, I will really offer thanksgiving to you:
Cheers for the Lord God!
I mean it, I will do what I vowed to God,
and I’ll do it among the faithful,
near the house of the Lord God,
right in the middle of Jerusalem—
Glory, Hallelujah!

~ Calvin Seerveld, Voicing God’s Psalms. Available from Eerdmanns Publishing.