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Resurrection Drama: Psalm 18
Resurrection Drama: Psalm 18 Paraphrased
* God the Son endangered, the ropes of death ensnared him, squeezed his breath away. A tsunami of destruction crashed upon his head. He couldn’t breathe. Hell’s net pulled him tighter, under. Death held its vise-like grip. There was no way for him to escape. In gasping anguish he cried out loud; he called to his Father for help.
“Papa! Help me! Save me! Death must not win forever!”
God in his holy temple heard his Son’s voice; the pleading cry of desperation reached the Father’s ear. Though his Son lay buried, three days in the grave, Almighty Papa roared and pierced the sky to save.
The earth reeled and rocked; foundations of mountains trembled. The royal Papa’s anger shook, an earth-quaking gush of love. Smoke rose from his nostrils; devouring fire consumed, glowing coals of flame no dragon ever produced.
God bowed the heavens descending, thick darkness under his feet. He rode a cherub and flew swiftly on wings of wind. Almighty Papa in darkness cloaked, a canopy surrounds him. Thick clouds dark with water cover his form from view. Bursting through this darkness, his brightness once concealed, with flashes of fire and brimstone, his golden light breaks through. He thunders in the heavens, blasting out his voice, hailstones and coals announcing–Papa on the move.
Scattering forth his arrows, flashing out his lightnings, God routed the enemy, death…(and here the Son breaks in…)
“The channels of the sea you exposed, the foundations of the world laid bare. You rebuked them, O Lord, my Father, when your nostrils blasted your breath.”
“Did you see all this, my people? Were you watching? Did you see? When he came from on high and took me and pulled me from the waves? He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated and surrounded. They were too mighty for me, confronting, that one single day. But he, the LORD my Papa came through. To this broad place he brought me. He heard my cry and rescued, because he delights in me.”
*This poem draws heavily from the English Standard Version of Psalm 18:4-19
Previously published with a different title at: Psalm 18: Original Paraphrase-Papa Roars and Rescues – justonesmallvoice.com and https://onesmallvoice.net/2019/12/09/psalm-18-papa-roars-and-rescues/
Psalm 18: Original Paraphrase–Papa Roars and Rescues
Drama from the Past
* God the Son endangered, the ropes of death ensnared him, squeezed his breath away. A tsunami of destruction crashed upon his head. He couldn’t breathe. Hell’s net pulled him tighter, under. Death held its vise-like grip. There was no way for him to escape. In gasping anguish he cried out loud; he called to his Father for help.
“Papa! Help me! Save me! Death must not win forever!”
God in his holy temple heard his Son’s voice; the pleading cry of desperation reached the Father’s ear. Though his Son lay buried, three days in the grave, Almighty Papa roared and pierced the sky to save.
The earth reeled and rocked; foundations of mountains trembled. The royal Papa’s anger shook, an earth-quaking gush of love. Smoke rose from his nostrils; devouring fire consumed, glowing coals of flame no dragon ever produced.
God bowed the heavens descending, thick darkness under his feet. He rode a cherub and flew swiftly on wings of wind. Almighty Papa in darkness cloaked, a canopy surrounds him. Thick clouds dark with water cover his form from view. Bursting through this darkness, his brightness once concealed, with flashes of fire and brimstone, his golden light breaks through. He thunders in the heavens, blasting out his voice, hailstones and coals announcing–Papa on the move.
Scattering forth his arrows, flashing out his lightnings, God routed the enemy, death…(and here the Son breaks in…)
“The channels of the sea you exposed, the foundations of the world laid bare. You rebuked them, O Lord, my Father, when your nostrils blasted your breath.”
“Did you see all this, my people? Were you watching? Did you see? When he came from on high and took me and pulled me from the waves? He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated and surrounded. They were too mighty for me, confronting, that one single day. But he, the LORD my Papa came through. To this broad place he brought me. He heard my cry and rescued, because he delights in me.”
*This poem draws heavily from the English Standard Version of Psalm 18:4-19
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Beauty Day 175
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 175
Stopping by Flowers on a Preschool Morning
Little girl stops by amazing flowers
“I love these flowers” she says
gramma loves these flowers too
“and you are the prettiest of all”
Beauty Day 174
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 174
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Beauty Day 173
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 173 Lazy Morning Muffins
Little girl with tousled hair
emerging from your sleep
what is this your daddy bakes
this lazy morning treat?
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Guest Photo Edited by OneSmallVoice
Beauty Day 172
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 172 Backyard
My friends’ backyard
is the prettiest backyard
I have ever seen
Mike is a landscaper/gardener
and now that I mention it
how strange…
every time I visit
he is sitting back relaxing
yet he alone does all this labor
mostly folk art
no classes no lessons
just a natural love
for beauty and color
finding ceramics, dinnerware
broken pieces of tile
he smashes–creates anew
creatures and birds
architecture and seas
while growing plants and flowers
is his specialty
talking birds participate
from their safe house just beyond
Mike’s a wonder
as is Claudia my friend
who prepares a meal fit for royalty
from their garden just below
what makes these people most special
is their love
for everyone
for me
for you
♦
Beauty Day 171
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 171 Graduation!
Square dance graduation
excited for my friends
as though they were family
a great achievement
120 calls in 9 months
and it’s true
they are like babies
we Angels will have to hold their hands
at every dance for about a year
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Beauty Day 170
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 170 Spring Breakup of the River Ice
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it’s a day of celebration dancing singing
flowing good cheer
and it should be
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moves on to fuller days ahead
little did I know
as I lay sick and motionless
for nearly two weeks
that the ice pack was melting
and fissures deep within
perhaps because of stillness
with little outward stimulation
I had time to hear and could hear
the deeps within me creaking groaning
and finally the ice began to break
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good cheer and miles of new roads up ahead
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Beauty Day 169
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 169 Discover
Little person
flying a kite
face filled
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Daddy’s joy
to lead his girl
to worlds
she then discovers
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Borrowed Photo
One Small Voice 