Official Review: The Beloved Psalms in English Verse
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RachelEmmanuel
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Official Review: The Beloved Psalms in English Verse
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Beloved Psalms in English Verse" by J. David States.]
I grew up in church, listening to and singing the old hymns by Fanny Crosby and Isaac Watts. I have always loved the rhythm and structure produced by the steady rhyme of these timeless songs. Although the literary style of this art form has changed over time and free verse - both in song lyrics and poetry - is the more appreciated style of the day, it does not diminish the beauty and difficulty of creating rhyming poetry that can stay on topic and convey the message clearly. My favorite hymns have always been ones that are directly inspired by scripture, especially the book of Psalms. That is why I was thrilled to discover The Beloved Psalms in English Verse by J. David States.
The Beloved Psalms in English Verse is a rare gem in the world of Christian poetry. It takes - what is to many people - the most beautiful book of poetry ever written and turns it into lyrical poetry in rhyming style. What I appreciated most about this book is its faithfulness to the original text. I did not need to read the number heading of the poem to recognize which Psalm had inspired it. Even though the author emphasizes (emphatically) that these poems are not to be taken as scripture, they come, in my opinion, very close in meaning and spirit.
Not all the poems in the book are in rhyme, however. The book contains a couple of haikus as well. The rest have varying styles, from the most common ABAB style of rhyming to paired stanzas, rhyming triplets, and many others.
At the beginning of the book, the author gives a brief overview of the different literary devices used in the Hebrew Bible. I found the chapter very interesting and enlightening. The book also contains some pretty illustrations by E. Mansfield. They reminded me of the drawings in an old Bible my mother used to have, and added to the specialness of the book.
Overall, as someone who loves Psalms and hymns, The Beloved Psalms in English Verse took me back to a simpler time. It is a book that I may go back to again and again. There is nothing I did not like about it. It does not contain any sex or profanity and is suitable for all ages. However, the book is best suited for Christian readers who are familiar with the Psalms. I highly recommend it, especially to Christian worship leaders and musicians who could use it as inspiration for their own compositions. Since it is a poetry book, it is impossible to critique its grammar. I did not, however, find any spelling errors in it. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
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The Beloved Psalms in English Verse
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I grew up in church, listening to and singing the old hymns by Fanny Crosby and Isaac Watts. I have always loved the rhythm and structure produced by the steady rhyme of these timeless songs. Although the literary style of this art form has changed over time and free verse - both in song lyrics and poetry - is the more appreciated style of the day, it does not diminish the beauty and difficulty of creating rhyming poetry that can stay on topic and convey the message clearly. My favorite hymns have always been ones that are directly inspired by scripture, especially the book of Psalms. That is why I was thrilled to discover The Beloved Psalms in English Verse by J. David States.
The Beloved Psalms in English Verse is a rare gem in the world of Christian poetry. It takes - what is to many people - the most beautiful book of poetry ever written and turns it into lyrical poetry in rhyming style. What I appreciated most about this book is its faithfulness to the original text. I did not need to read the number heading of the poem to recognize which Psalm had inspired it. Even though the author emphasizes (emphatically) that these poems are not to be taken as scripture, they come, in my opinion, very close in meaning and spirit.
Not all the poems in the book are in rhyme, however. The book contains a couple of haikus as well. The rest have varying styles, from the most common ABAB style of rhyming to paired stanzas, rhyming triplets, and many others.
At the beginning of the book, the author gives a brief overview of the different literary devices used in the Hebrew Bible. I found the chapter very interesting and enlightening. The book also contains some pretty illustrations by E. Mansfield. They reminded me of the drawings in an old Bible my mother used to have, and added to the specialness of the book.
Overall, as someone who loves Psalms and hymns, The Beloved Psalms in English Verse took me back to a simpler time. It is a book that I may go back to again and again. There is nothing I did not like about it. It does not contain any sex or profanity and is suitable for all ages. However, the book is best suited for Christian readers who are familiar with the Psalms. I highly recommend it, especially to Christian worship leaders and musicians who could use it as inspiration for their own compositions. Since it is a poetry book, it is impossible to critique its grammar. I did not, however, find any spelling errors in it. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
******
The Beloved Psalms in English Verse
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
1 Cor 15: 19-20, 26 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead...The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead...The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
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MsH2k
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I have read another book by this author, and I appreciate his integrity. This sounds like a great collection of work to set to music (again). Thank you for a lovely review.
"Knowing what must be done does away with fear."
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
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RachelEmmanuel
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Yes, I absolutely feel like these poems could be set to music. And I agree with you, the integrity of his work is commendable.
1 Cor 15: 19-20, 26 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead...The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead...The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Latest Review: Daddy’s Baby Mama’s Maybe by Come Lamore
