Backward Mutters

Several years ago I began writing poetic responses to and paraphrases of the biblical psalms. Both activities worked to help me to internalize the words and unpack the metaphors in them. These projects include a collection of paraphrased prayers which I gathered in a collection called, Ordinary Prayers. I have written twenty-eight of those to this day. In addition, I have a collection of 11 poems inspired by Psalm 119 and a collection of seventeen poems inspired by the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134). As my own work continues, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to participate in other collaborative projects based on the Psalms.

The first of those projects is an Almond Tree Artist Collective exhibit based on the Egyptian Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118). These psalms were the hymnbook of Passover week and are full of the themes of gratitude for the Lord’s redemption and praise for his salvation. If you’d like to join us for the opening presentation and reception, it will be held at Christ Church Anglicanin Winston-Salem, NC. Here’s the invitation. Please consider yourself invited.

Another project I am excited to be participating in is a a psalter devotional which is being published by Square Halo Books and being released in the summer of 2026. The title of the book is, Revealed Psalter and consists of a 30 day, morning and evening devotional and includes original artwork to accompany the devotional. The artwork serves to help you consider the psalms and see their words in a fresh light. The artwork for the Revealed Psalter is currently on display at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC and will be on display in the Square Halo Gallery during the Square Halo Conference on March 6 and 7 in Lancaster, PA..

For my part, I am grateful and excited to be able to participate. I provided a linocut inspired by Psalm 73:21-22 which reads, 

“When my heart was grieved
     and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;
     I was a brute beast before you.”

I have always been inspired by the Psalms of Asaph which are collected together in Psalms 73-83. I resonate with his confusion and with his wrestling to find an anchoring point of faith to hold him safe in the midst the storms of injustice swirling around. Here is an image of the print included in Revealed Psalter.

In addition to carving the image for the devotion, I also worked to add Psalm 73 to my own collection of Ordinary Prayers. You can hear how I’ve taken liberties. My words should not be viewed as a translation even in a mild sense. It is more commentary than translation. I am proud of a few lines, and it continues to help me internalize a 2000 year old prayer and make it present. I hope it helps you.

You may listen to me read the paraphrase below.

Ordinary Prayer 73

God is so good to those He’s named, 
	to those who are His—outside and in.

But me? 
To be honest, I almost went down, 
	Just about fell flat on my face
When I saw how the Grabbers ground 
	Others to get what they want.

I thought, “See here, they die at ease
	Full-bodied, smooth-skinned, smirking with
		Guilt-grinning, eye-squinting cheese…
			Unbothered by the troubles other’s face.

They hang their pride out-there like a gold chain
	While they drag the stepped-on in a gorey, glory-train.
They eat with greedy eyes and slobbering mouths;
	And folly burps in their throat and spouts
All their big-talk. Everyone’s a chump
	And they never stop to think,
		Never shut up.
And get this: the people love it.
	They eat this crap* up.
They say, ‘God don’t know-it.
	And If He does? He certainly don’t show-it’

They’re always like this;
	Every day, the same old thing. 
They got it all, 
	They take the girl,
		But Hey, sorry, they can’t afford a ring.
But me? All I do
	Comes to not, one, thing. 
Being honest? Sincere? Staying out of it? 
	Pointless.
All day, every day, the same messy-mess.
	Before I’m even out of bed, they hammer me —
		Resentment and regret 
			 Beat on my heart and head.	

Now, I thought about saying all that, 
	But if I had, it would’ve been more than
		Just a spat of
			Of my own big-talkin’ trash.
	I’d‘ve thrown my kids under the bus,
		And my kids’ kids too.

Still, I couldn’t leave it alone
	Couldn’t get my thoughts fixed
		Couldn’t get my head around it. 
But then something old became new
	Beauty broke in and passed through
		And in to me.
How, you ask? What’d I do?
I found my way into the heart of God.
	And that’s when I saw the ALL—
		In holy-fear, wild-wonder, joyful-awe
	Who showed me things
		For what they are.

It’s true. They don’t stand on good ground.
	It’s You who does…
		It’s You who will bring them down,
	Raise up terrors, topple thrones, 
		Slap-off crowns,
			Sweep away as bones….
	To You, they’re no weightier than a dream.

Though in the moment,
		They seem to be all that’s true,
	They’ll be wisped away with a wave
		Like steam;
			Not one thing.

When I was heart-heavy with bitterness 
	when my sadness soured me in the mess of my mess
I bellowed and blew like a big, dumb ox.

Look here. No matter what things look like, 
	I am always with You,
		In Your presence is light;
	You’ve got me by the hand
		And You hold.
It’s not them who think they know,
	It’s You who tells me which way to go, 
And sure as all, again and again,
	You cheer me along
		To the very end.

Where else would I want to look?
	Where else would I want to go?
		But to You who sees me and knows
			Me through and through?

Sure, my body will give up,
	And My heart’ll give out,
But God?
God gives life to my heart, 
	and He’s all a’body will ever want.

Here’s the straight up truth:
	Running away from You is
		A dead end.
	All talk and no walk won’t get it done.
But me?
	It is good to be near,
		To be with You.
So, You’re the one I’m running to, 
	And I’ll tell all You’ve done 
		To anyone who’ll hear.