Psalms for People Under Pressure

by Jonathan Aitken

When Jonathan Aitken was in prison, he experienced a religious conversion. When he emerged into the light of day, he headed for Oxford where he read for and obtained a degree in theology. The Psalms have assumed a quite exceptional importance in his life. The Psalms are at the very heart of the Christian life and its liturgy - in them is found the whole range of human emotion, of triumph and despair. In this new book, Aitken expounds his own view of the Psalms, the fruit of much prayer, study and reflection. He has busy, stressed modern men and women and the forefront of his mind as he writes. Aitken was a successful businessman and financier before he ever entered government as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. He is fully aware of the enormous pressures on people in countless walks of life - as speed of communication increases and more and more people are obliged to live with targets hanging over them like the sword of Damocles. Aitken writes 'out of the depths': he has experienced as profoundly as any of us the heights of adulation and the depths of disgrace and shame and he understands the meaning of repentance. This is an account of the Psalms tried and tested in raw human emotion. This book is designed to be kept in the top drawer of a businessman's desk, the satchel of a student, or the briefcase of a top flight lady executive.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Jonathan William Patrick Aitken is a former Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom for 24 years, and a former British government Cabinet minister. He was convicted of perjury in 1999 and received an 18-month prison sentence, of which he served seven months.

Reviews

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Aitken knows about being under pressure more than most. And due to the intense hardships he's faced, the fall from grace he experienced, and the helplessness he has felt, it is clear that God has worked in his life in incredible ways. One of the products of his spiritual journey is this book, and it's a real gift to all Christians facing any kind of difficulty or pressure.

Charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice, Aitken spent many years in prison.



During his time in prison, he became a Christian. He'd developed a fledgling faith many years before, but it was only when faced with the discomfort, loneliness and public humiliation of being locked up that his faith really grew.



It just so happens that he is also a highly analytical man, with an adeptness for explaining and breaking down texts. He does a fantastic job with the psalms, and in each section he brings out a few important aspects for consideration. He gives a) a general reflection on the meaning of the psalm, b) additional notes on form, structure and language with which the reader might not be familiar, or providing alternate translations of specific words, c) a personal comment, and finally d) a short prayer relating to the psalm. Within this format, the reader is given both a rigorous interpretation of the content of the psalm, as well as a deep spiritual reflection on how it can affect one's life. It's also not a heavy read, and could easily be something the average reader (such as myself) could pick up first thing in the morning with no hesitation.

I can't recommend this highly enough. Aitken is purposeful and firm with his interpretations, sticking closely and faithfully to the gospel, but also self-effacing and humble. He's rigorous and accessible, and he has heaps of integrity.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest, this has been a really disappointing commentary on a selection of the Psalms. I heard a positive mention of it by a well-known reformed preacher & Seminary Dean in the U. S. And so I set out to read it positively, but it is extremely weak in two major respects.
First, there are some very obvious mistakes which ought never to have made it through the proof-reading or review to actual publication. For example, on p82 the author refers to the rebellion David faced around 700 BC.... rather than 1000 BC?
Or again on p82, he refers as though authoritatively, to "St. Paul's" letter to the Hebrews, without any biblical warrant for ascribing authorship to Paul. Also, on p83 he says there are "good grounds" for ascribing David as the author of Psalm 3, when the superscription (in the biblical text) says plainly that David wrote it, when he fled from Absolom. It is really not helpful to question the authorship when the text states it plainly, as though it were somehow in question. Jonathan Aitken questions the Davidic authorship of several Davidic psalms actually. Or once again, on p108, in explaining Psalm 40, he says that "Elijah" told Saul in 1 Samuel 15 that "to obey is better than sacrifice" - but it was Samuel, not Elijah? Really, such a fundamental mistake is inexcusable isn't it? (From a man who tells us repeatedly that he studied Theology at Oxford.) And further, on Psalm 40 he says that verses 12-17 are a later addition. It is this occasional weakening of confidence in the biblical text that concerns me.
Secondly, there is an almost complete absence of any Gospel content in this book. A Jewish Rabbi would probably agree with much of the book. After a few chapters, I was longing to hear any reference to the Lord Jesus, my Saviour. There is an absence of any gospel reference. There are constant references that convey the impression that being a Christian consists of trying to obey God and do His will. It feels as though there is much law and and zero grace.
My feeling is that this was published because it is written by a well-known former Cabinet Minister. And for that reason, Christians are far too quick to applaud it and seemingly to commend it. Had it been written by someone less prominent, it wouldn't have been published.
Rather than jumping on the bandwagon and recommending this book (church-leaders especially take note), can I just suggest you think more carefully of the spiritual benefit it will be? If you want to encourage your Christian friends or congregation, why not point them to someone like Dale Ralph Davis - his little commentaries on the psalms will do their souls good, pointing them to their atoning Saviour Jesus, the One who is the focus of all the Scriptures.

[Mario Kossmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the remarkable fall and subsequent spiritual journey of this former member of the British parliament who ended up in prison and then became a prison chaplain, this book is very helpful for people under pressure, as the name suggests. The author shares his own very personal and sometimes self-critical and embarrassing experiences and how specific psalms have helped him on his journey back to God, and thereby, back to himself, his true self. Very encouraging and suitable for bible studies on the psalms, as a resource, since each psalm presented is also described and discussed from several angles, followed by a suggested prayer related to that psalm. This format lends itself to using one chapter on one specific psalm at the time for a series of group sessions, for example.

[Dermot O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Psalms for People under Pressure is a commentary on the Psalter by former Conservative party Cabinet Minister Jonathan Aitken. In it, Aitken selects some 27 of the 150 psalms for analysis and reflection. There are basically three parts to the book. Firstly the psalm in full. It's followed by useful explanatory notes. Finally, Aitken shares some personal thoughts on the relevancy of the psalm to his life, which I found to be the most interesting part.

In the 1990's Jonathan Aitken famously lost a major libel case and arising from that was jailed for 7 months for perjury. His marriage dissolved and he was declared bankrupt (later annulled). However during this chain of unfortunate events he rediscovered his Christian faith so much so that he took a theology degree at Oxford where he specialized in the psalms. Much of this biographical information is covered in the preface and in the personal comments following each psalm. It is told with great inspiration and at times humour, and is alone worth the price of the book.

There are weightier studies of the Psalter out there but Psalms for People under Pressure is ideal for anyone embarking on a Christian journey and for those interested in the fascinating life of it's author