Bono & the Psalms

Bono (of U2) grew up in Ireland with a Protestant mother and a Catholic father. He said the Protestants had the better tunes and the Catholics had the better stage-gear. Seeing how the Catholics and Protestants were killing each other, he soon rejected institutional religion. 

But he didn't reject God. Parts of the Bible spoke to him in a personal way. In the book Revelations: Personal Responses to the Books of the Bible (Cannongate Books, 2005) he says, "My religion could not be fiction, but it had to transcend facts. It could be mystical, but not mythical and definitely not ritual."

Being a musician, Bono especially liked the Psalms. He could relate to David the musician. And he particularly resonated with the Psalms that are like Blues music. 

As his band was finishing up their third album War, they needed one more song. Bono suggested they compose a piece using Psalm 40. He saw Psalm 40 as suggesting the triumph of grace over karma. So they made up song based on the thought of Psalm 40, and threw in a little of Psalm 6 ('How long?'), and finished the album.

Bono reflects on the question from Psalm 6 -- 'How long?' He says, "I had thought of it as a nagging question -- pulling at the hem of an invisible deity whose presence we glimpse only when we act in love."

Bono's take on the Biblical religion is not exactly orthodox. But he connects with certain portions of it. U2's music has been known for speaking up for justice in the world. I'm confident that Isaiah and Micah and Hosea and Amos would appreciate the way Bono and his band proclaim the prophetic truth with a hard beat. And Jesus, being a fan of Isaiah and all the prophetic voices of Scripture, would also enjoy a U2 concert. 

The institutional church sometimes does not appreciate the way the Lord works through secular means, especially the arts. Artists can get rowdy. They might overturn tables and do even worse. God works in mysterious ways. He can use U2 -- and me too -- and you too.


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