A Guide to the Psalms of David

The Psalms of David, "in sublimity, beauty, pathos, and originality, or in one word, poetry, are superior to all the odes, hymns, and songs in any language." John Adams in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.

Although typically thought of as hymns of praise to God, The Psalms of David are so much more. They are invoked to comfort and instruct; to lament and inspire; to bless, as well as to curse,. In tone, they span the gamut of human emotions from ecstasy to despair, grief to relief, fear to awe, indignation to remorse, and rage to love. They talk about the rewards of righteousness, the pitfalls of evil, the grandeur of the universe, as well as recount God's compassion and benevolence.
In short, The Psalms are a fabulously rich gold mine whose ore has not been extracted for lack of tools. With its unique index classifying all 150 psalms by purpose, theme, mood, and audience, this book rectifies that major shortcoming and makes the psalms accessible to the English speaking public- whatever one's affiliation-who can benefit from their wisdom and guidance. That, and a translation which engages the reader emotionally, should prove a resource for those who are suffering or directionless-to find solace, gain wisdom, receive a new awareness or be transformed, resulting in healing and/or reconsideration of personal ethics toward "clean hands and a pure heart."

"Steve Rosner has captured the universal and modern meanings of the Psalms of David in a compelling new book. The reader will find inspiration and wisdom for today's complex world in a brilliantly expressed interpretation of the 3000 year-old text." Bob Turner, Former U. S. Representative, NY

"This an extremely helpful aid, organized effectively and giving just enough annotation to illuminate without descending into pedantry. The translation is graceful and evocative. I thank you for producing it."
W