U2's Bono and editor of 'The Message' Bible collaborate on mysterious new movie

NEW YORK (Christian Examiner) – Bono, lead singer of the iconic Irish rock band U2, has collaborated with Bible translator Eugene Peterson on a new project on Psalms. Peterson, professor emeritus at Regent College at Vancouver and a longtime Presbyterian pastor, is the writer behind the modern translation of the Bible known as The Message.

The project, however, remains a mystery.

A trailer of the film for the 20-minute short film about the Psalms reveals very little about the movie, produced by Fuller Studio and scheduled for release April 26. Fuller Studio was launched in 2015 as a way for the evangelical seminary to disseminate its teachings.

Bono and Peterson have been friends for more than a decade. In 2002, the singer sent Peterson a message telling him how appreciative he was for producing the new translation of Scripture, which Bono described as "remarkable." They finally met four years later.

Since their meeting, Bono has used Peterson's translation of the Bible in his performances. He often quotes selected Psalms, such as Psalm 116 during the band's Elevation tour.

Psalm 116:12-14 from The Message reads, "What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me? I'll lift high the cup of salvation – a toast to God! I'll pray in the name of God; I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it together with his people."

During the 2002 Super Bowl halftime performance, Bono also recited Psalm 51:15 from The Message before signing "Where the Streets Have No Name." That performance commemorated the lives lost in the Sept. 11 attacks on New York, Washington D.C., and Flight 93.

The passage reads, "Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise."