1 Wow, π! Elohim awesomely [helps] the people [he's grooming] to rule with him. [He loves us, earth's] few pure-hearted mortals. A psalm of Asaph. Israel = those who will rule with EL.2 [Again and again,] my feet quickly slip off [the right path], π. My feet falter [and scramble for footing on the cliff-ledge]. 3 π, I get jealous of [foolish] braggarts. I [hate] seeing wicked [criminals bask] in prosperity. 4 [I never see] death slap handcuffs on the [kingpins of crime]. They strut their plump physiques [around the city like they'll reign forever], π. 5 The [captains of corrupt industry kick back in luxury while] normal people toil, plagued [with problems]. 6 Pride wraps [bigwigs] like a [gold] neckchain, π. Violence shrouds them like a robe. 7 The [frauds'] eyes bulge out of their fat [faces]. Their [greedy] hearts constantly dream up new stuff to covet. 8 The [jerks] jeer, π. They blab blasphemy. They break [poor people's bones] with their elitist schemes. 9 The [bigshots] set their mouth [s] against the heavens, π. Their [snake] tongue [s] wag [VD-infested spit] over the earth. 10 The [bigshots] twist subservient [poor] masses right and left, wringing them out [like sponges] full of water, π. Or, βThe [bigshots] turn [the masses] this way and that way, [because desert slaves] follow [the master as long as] he wrings a gulp of water [from a dirty rag into their parched mouths].β11 The [crime-lords] scoff, βHow could El {Power} know [we're oppressing people]? Ha-Elyon {The-Most-High} [is an impersonal force, not a person who] sees [or knows] anything.β Hence the importance of Star Wars changing βYAH be with youβ, to βMay the The Force be with youβ.12 Watch, π. Wicked [jerks] prosper in the world. They build huge estate [s for themselves]. eon13 [Who says, βCrime doesn't payβ, π? While rogues roll in gold,] I cleanse my heart for zero pay. I wash my hands in innocence. [It costs me real money to repay the poor masses what the robber-barons steal.]14 [While tyrants lounge on the beach, sipping pina coladas from golden goblets held to their mouths by bikini-clad beauties,] I'm plagued all day long [trying to save poor, sick peons]. I [dread the] sunrise, π, [because no good turn goes] unpunished. True spirituality is give up your hard-earned honest wealth to help ungrateful people who got in their mess by doing evil.15 But I shouldn't gripe, [YAH]. To complain is to spit in the face of your family-tree, [my ancestors who suffered intolerable tribulation to become] your children. 16 Still, waking up to see [life's unfairness] stings my eyes like acid, π. 17 So, π, [through prayer, praise and fasting] I [stagger] into the [heavenly] sanctuary of El {Power}. Then I understand the end-game [of world affairs]. 18 [YAH] sets the [greedsters] in slippery spots [on life's road], π. [He] casts them down into destruction. 19 How [awesome], π! [The bigshots] fall to ruin. In a flash, terrors eat the [pigs] to nothing! 20 [YAH's justice] wakes us from [this] nightmare [life], π. YHVH opens [his vengeful eyes]. [He] blows the vile scum away like phantoms [made of morning mist]. 21 [I'm sorry for being] sour-hearted, [YAH]. [But injustice hits me like] pins stabbing my kidneys. 22 I'm irrational. I'm ignorant. I behave like a beast [growling] at the face of [the zookeeper who feeds me]. 23 Yet you keep sticking with me, [YAH]. You hold my right hand [through life's trail of terrors]. 24 You keep guiding me with your counsel. So after [I die, I know] you'll take me to glory. 25 Who do I have in heaven but you, [YAH]? Beside you, there's nobody on earth whom I desire, either. 26 My flesh [rots]. My [physical] heart fails. But [you,] Elohim, my mountain-fortress, [guard] my eternal heart [in heaven]. 27 I see [now, YAH]. [Beings] who stay far from you eventually perish. You destroy everyone who prostitutes themselves. [Fools chase idols of fleshly power right over death's cliff.]28 My bounty comes not from [socio-economic whoredom, but] by drawing near to Elohim. I always flee-for-protection in you, Adonai YHVH. I'm racking up a tally of [miraculous ways you help me] work [with you to rescue oppressed people]. |