POETRY ON FIRE

BIBLE

PsalmsTHETranslated from Hebrew Text

DR. BRIAN SIMMONS

The Psalms: Poetry on Fire, The Passion Translation Translated directly from the original Hebrew text by Dr. Brian Simmons

Published by BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC Racine, Wisconsin, USA www.broadstreetpublishing.com

2014 The Passion Translation

ISBN-13: 9781424549368 (paperback) ISBN-13: 9781424549740 (e-book)

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Translators Introduction

I have loved the Psalms for over forty years. They have been my comfort and joy, leading me to the place where worship flows. When discouraged or downcast, I have never failed to take new strength from reading the Psalms. They charge my batteries and fill my sails. In fact, they seem to grow even more powerful as I grow older. Their thunder stirs me; their sweet melodies move me into the sacred emo-tions of a heart on fire. The dark rain clouds of grief turn to bright rainbows of hope, just from meditating on Davids soul-subduing songs.

The Psalms find the words that express our deepest and strongest emotions, no matter what the circumstances. Every emotion of our hearts is reflected in the Psalms. Reading the Psalms will turn sighing into singing and trouble into triumph. The word praise is found 189 times in this book. There is simply nothing that touches my heart like the Psalms. Thousands of years ago my deepest feelings were put to musicthis is what we all delightfully discover when reading the Psalms!

Poetry on Fire

The Psalms are clearly poetic. They are praises placed inside of poetry. Everyone who reads the Psalms realizes how filled with emotion they are! You will never be bored in reading the poetry that spills out of a fiery, passionate heart. These verses contain both poetry and music that touch the heart deeply. Much of Christianity has become so intellectualized that our emotions and artistic creativity are often set aside as unimportant in the worship of God. The Psalms free us to become emo-tional, passionate, sincere worshippers. It is time to sing the Psalms! For this reason, I believe a contemporary name for the book of Psalms could bePoetry on Fire! These 150 poetic masterpieces give us an expression of faith and worship. They become a mirror to the heart of Gods people in our quest to experience Gods presence.

The Psalms are pure praise, inspired by the breath of God. Praise is a matter of life and breath. As long as we have breath we are told to praise the Lord. The Psalms release an anointing of praise that will lift heaviness off the human heart.

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The Psalms are meant to do to you what they did to David. They will bring you from your cave of despair into the glad presence of the King who likes you the way you are.

The Psalms are prayers. The Psalms have been called the little brother of prayer. Mixed with intercession, the Psalms become the fuel for our devotional life. Each psalm is a prayer. The early church recited and sang the Psalms regu-larly. So many contemporary worship songs have been inspired by this book of prayer-poetry!

The Psalms will unlock mysteries and parables, for in the purest praise is the cryptic language of a prophet. The wisdom of God is contained in these 150 keys. You have a key chain with master keys to unlock Gods storehouse of wisdom and revelation. It is the harp (anointed worship) that releases divine secrets. Read carefully Psalm 49:4 tpt: I will break open mysteries with my music and my song will release riddles solved.

The prophetic anointing rests upon the Psalms. Davids harp will bring reve-lation and understanding to the people. Singers who tap into the anointing of the Psalms will bring forth truths in their songs that will break the hearts of people and release divine understanding to the church. The prophets must become musicians, and the musicians must become prophets for the key of David to be given to the church.

How Are the Psalms Divided?

The Psalms are really five books in one. Moses gave us the five books of the Law called the Pentateuch; David gives us the five books of the Psalms. Each division ends with a doxology that includes the words, Amen and Amen. The last division ends with Psalm 150 as the doxology, forming an appropriate conclusion to this Pentateuch of David. These five divisions have been compared to the first five books of the Bible:

Book I Psalms 141 (Genesis) Psalms of man and creation.Book II Psalms 4272 (Exodus) Psalms of suffering and redemption.Book III Psalms 7389 (Leviticus) Psalms of worship and Gods house.Book IV Psalms 90106 (Numbers) Psalms of our pilgrimage on earth.Book V Psalms 107150 (Deuteronomy) Psalms of praise and the Word.

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Christ in the Psalms

The Psalms are all about Jesus Christ. There are 150 Psalms and each of them re-veals a special and unique aspect of the God-Man, Christ Jesus. Every Psalm is mes-sianic in that they all point to our Lord Jesus, whom God has chosen as King over all. The Psalms find their fulfillment in Christ. These songs are all about Jesus. The key to understanding the Psalms is to look for Jesus within its pages. Luke 24:44 tpt says: This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. There are many secrets about Jesus waiting to be discovered here!

A Word about The Passion Translation

Bible translations are both a gift and a problem. They give us the words God spoke through his servants, but words can become very poor containers for revelation. They leak! Over time the words change from one generation to the next. Meaning is influenced by culture, background, and a thousand other details. You can imagine how differently the Hebrew authors of the Old Testament saw the world from three thousand years ago!

There is no such thing as a truly literal translation of the Bible, for there is not an equivalent language that perfectly conveys the meaning of the text except as it is understood in its original cultural and linguistic setting. Therefore, a translation can be a problem. The problem, however, is solved when we seek to transfer meaning, and not merely words, from the original text to the receptor language.

To transfer meaning from one language to another, as it relates to the Bible nar-rative, requires interpretation. Every translation, sadly, interposes a fallible human interpretation between the reader and an infallible text. At times, after much textual research, I was simply forced to interpret the text and carry over its meaning so that contemporary English speakers would be able to comprehend it and receive its impact. Undoubtedly, this cannot be considered a perfect science, but more of an artistic, Spirit-led production. I have sought to do my best to bring the meaning over from Hebrew into modern English, along with the poetic nuances that will make it sparkle and come alive to the reader.

So without further introduction, I present to youPoetry on Fire! And may the Holy Spirit fill you with joy and revelation as you read it!

Brian Simmons

TRANSLATORS INTRODUCTION 5

BOOK I

The Genesis Psalms PSALMS OF MAN AND CREATION

OnePsalm 1THE TREE OF LIFEa

What delight comes to thoseb Who follow Gods ways! They wont walk in step with the wicked,Nor share the sinners way,Or be found sitting in the scorners seat.Their pleasure and passion is remaining true To the Word of I Am,Meditating each and every moment In the revelation of light.c

They will be standing firm Like a flourishing tree planted by Gods design,Deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss;Bearing fruit in every season of their lives.They are never dry, never fainting, Ever blessed, ever plentiful.But how different are the wicked.All they are is dust in the windDriven away to destruction!d

The wicked will not endure the day of judgment,For God will not defend them. Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long.For they have no part with those who walk in truth,But how different it is for the lovers of God!The Lord watches over them as they move forwardWhile the paths of the godless lead only to doom.

a Although we cannot be sure, it is possible that Ezra compiled the Psalms and wrote Psalm 1 as an introduction to the Psalter. Others believe it was written by David, or even Jeremiah.

b 1:1 The Hebrew text is actually that One, and refers prophetically to the Lord Jesus Christ, our Tree of Life. Every one of us who belongs to that One can also walk in the light of this Psalm.

c 1:2 Or, Torah.d 1:4 Implied in the text.

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TwoPsalm 2THE CORONATION OF THE KING

Act I The Nations SpeakHow dare the nations plan a rebellion,Ranting and raging against the Lord Most High?Their foolish plots are futile!Look at how the power brokers of the world Rise up to hold their summit,Scheming and conferring togetherAgainst God and his Anointed King, saying:Lets come together and break away from the Creator.Once and for all lets cast off these controlling chains Of God and his Christ!a

Act II God Speaks God-Enthroned b merely laughs at them;Amused at all their puny plans, mocking their madness!Then with the fierceness of his fiery anger He settles the issue,And terrifies them to death with these words:I have poured out my King on Zion, my holy mountain.c

You had better listen to the One that I have chosen!

Act III The Son SpeaksI will reveal the eternal purpose of God. For he has decreed over me, You are my favored Son. And as your Father I have crowned you as my King Eternal.Today I have given you glory!Ask me to give you the nations and I will do it, And they shall become your legacy.

a 2:3 The word found here for Christ is the Hebrew word for Messiah, or Anointed One.b 2:4 The Aramaic is Maryah, the Aramaic form of YHWH or Lord Jehovah.c 2:6 For the believer today, Zion is not only a place but also a realm where Christ is enthroned. Jesus was poured out as an

offering on our behalf.

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Your domain will stretch to the ends of the earth.And you will rule over them with unlimited authority,Crushing their rebellion as An iron rod smashes jars of clay!

Act IV The Holy Spirit SpeaksListen to me, all you rebel-kings And all you upstart rulers of this earth!Learn your lesson while theres still time.Serve and worship the awe-inspiring God.Recognize his greatness and bow before him,Trembling with reverence in his presence.Fall facedown before him And kiss the feet of his SonBefore his anger is roused against you.Remember that his wrath can be quickly kindled!But many blessings are waiting for all Who turn aside to hide themselves in him!

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