I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
I cannot stand your assemblies.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Amos 5: 21-24
Love Wins
never-failing – poetic – obviously not the Mississippi
I like the way this is translated in The Message:
“I can’t stand your religious meetings.
I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That’s what I want. That’s all I want.
That’s quite a translation. A little loose, perhaps, but certainly relevant.
It’s from Eugene Peterson’s The Message. A paraphrase, of course, but compelling and very popular these days. He certainly makes it relevant (as you note).
Love this passage and the wisdom of Amos.
I’m guessing he didn’t win any friends in the religious establishment.