The Book of Psalms
by Anonymous · תְּהִלִּים
Assigned by 2 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- c. 10th-3rd century BCE
- Form
- Scripture
- Language
- Hebrew
- Length
- Medium · 150 pp120 to 300 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendThe Book of Psalms, A Translation with Commentary, translated by Robert AlterW. W. Norton, 2007Compact, rhythmic lines close to the Hebrew, with notes that explain the imagery.
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A collection of 150 Hebrew poems, many attributed to David, gathered into five books and used for centuries in Jewish and Christian worship. They include hymns of praise, laments of individuals and of the nation, thanksgivings, royal psalms, wisdom poems and psalms of pilgrimage. Their speakers plead for rescue from enemies and illness, confess sin, celebrate the law and the creation, and ask why the wicked prosper, often moving within a single poem from complaint to trust.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns The Book of Psalms are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
