The Illuminated Book of Psalms: The Illustrated Text of all 150 Hymns and Prayers by Black Dog & Leventhal

by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers

All 150 passages from the Book of Psalms, which is revered in many sects of Judaism and Christianity and is one of the best known, most beautifully written sections of the Bible, are included. The 50 works of art from illuminated manuscripts, as well as dozens of borders and smaller illustrations are printed in five colours including simulated gold ink.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

Reviews

[Tanja Nayak · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many years the Book of Psalms and the Gospels were the only books of the Bible that I chose to read. Now and again I would read the more philosophical texts, but these books really were my spiritual bread and butter.

I have loved reading the Psalms of David since childhood and now when I open this book I feel like I am looking over the shoulder of a medieval monk who is sitting in a warm library in an abbey loving crafting the words on vellum and illuminating colorful illustrations and intricate designs worthy of the Book of Kells alongside the words. The pages are even decorated with "gold." Never mind that the scriptorium was the only heated room in the abbey in the winter months, the monks never skimped on quality when it came to their materials and perhaps working on the words and pictures for hours was the only luxury they allowed themselves.

I always enjoyed David's Psalms - his songs of praise and even his songs of lament. The Book of Psalms is definitely the most poetic book in the Bible and can be regarded as literature.

Presenting the book as if it were a treasured medieval manuscript is a wonderful way to do justice to the book. This book has a prime and treasured spot on my bookshelf and I delight in reading it time and again. The material-like cover and ribbon marker are a nice touch.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book with gorgeous copies of medieval psalters from throughout Europe, which adds a certain majesty to what you are reading. It has made me curious about the meaning behind some of the images depicted, and I will definitely look for books into the history of these medieval manuscripts to learn more.
And of course it should go without saying that the text itself is also gorgeous, uplifting and bolstering, all at the same time. A great resource to have when you need solace and support.

[Richard S · Rating 3 out of 5]

The overall impression is one of extreme repetitiveness and tediousness, with minimal religious or literary value. This is hardly the Christian God of loving thy enemies, it is all about getting revenge upon them, even in ugly fashion (Ps. 137). There are a few moments of real interest (Ps. 22 viz. Jesus) and occasional literary interest (Ps. 23 and 139), but I don’t think it’s the monotony as much as the disappointment - the God of the Psalms is mostly a God of war or revenge - a God to be called up on to plight one’s “wicked” “enemies”, and not as a God of all humanity.