There are few better introductions for lay people to the vivid kaleidoscope of the psalms than this. Limburg matches the colourful juxtaposition of words and images in the biblical text with an equally colourful pastiche of illustrations, snapshots, anecdotes and memorable one-liners. He allows the psalmists’ plethora of emotions—faith, doubt, anger, resignation, despair, elation—to speak for themselves, and dialogues with them in acceptance, challenge, and occasional Christian reflection. He includes some explanation, to make the ancient text comprehensible to readers in a very different time and culture, but always with as light touch. And those headings! e.g. ‘Now I lay me down to sleep’ (Ps. 3), ‘Sticks and stones’ (Ps. 12) ‘V is for victory’ (20), ‘Why pray when you can worry?’ (27), ‘Happiness is I (32), ‘God, fix the cracks!’ (60), ‘The day the sea ran away’ (114), ‘Between memory and hope’ (126). A delight for any reader, and a treasure-trove for preachers.

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