A David Psalm

1 Bilious and bloated, they gas,

“God is gone.”

Their words are poison gas,

fouling the air; they poison

Rivers and skies;

thistles are their cash crop.

2 Godsticks his head out of heaven.

He looks around.

He’s looking for someone not stupid—

one man, even, God-expectant,

just one God-ready woman.

3 He comes up empty. A string

of zeros. Useless, unshepherded

Sheep, taking turns pretending

to be Shepherd.

The ninety and nine

follow their fellow.

4 Don’t they know anything,

all these impostors?

Don’t they know

they can’t get away with this—

Treating people like a fast-food meal

over which they’re too busy to pray?

5-6 Night is coming for them, and nightmares,

for God takes the side of victims.

Do you think you can mess

with the dreams of the poor?

You can’t, for God

makes their dreams come true.

7 Is there anyone around to save Israel?

Yes. God is around;Godturns life around.

Turned-around Jacob skips rope,

turned-around Israel sings laughter.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/85/32k/PSA/14-a64fa8d17698f6e59bbaf1190c897ab9.mp3?version_id=97—