I love reading the Scriptures, especially from different versions. There is the Victorian richness in language and expression in some, while others bring the Word in today's English that makes it easier to understand. When I read the latter, especially the Psalms, I feel more "real" before God and that is not a bad thing.
Recently I was reading Psalm 51 from Eugene Peterson's "The Message", and here I found David's expressions of such that I thought, "God, if only we could be that real before you all the time!" Peterson's paraphrase of verses 1-12 read:
"Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down.
You're the One I've violated, and you've seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I've been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you're after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!"
We do not need to use those exact words next time we pray, but how about we try to keep it real before our Heavenly Father? Let's call a spade a spade, and trust His redeeming grace to not only forgive and cleanse, but to lead us in ways that are pleasing to Him.
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