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Summary: Her treatment opened new insights into the Psalm's truths
Review: I concur fully with the following summary: From Library Journal: Merrill, the editor of Friends of Silence newsletter, has led retreats, worked with inner-city parishes, and been involved with prison ministry for many years. She has reworked the Book of Psalms in a loving, contemplative manner, which betrays none of the book's original vigor or essence. Rather, in a mode that is fresh and eloquent, Merrill's psalms evoke that deep sense of reverence and soul-stirring dialog with the divine that is often eclipsed by the fear of divine wrath in the original. Merrill has carefully crafted these verses to rekindle for contemporary readers the timeless mystery of divine love, using language that is not constrained by gender or judgment. Highly recommended for all libraries.
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Summary: Merrill's psalms serve as a healing, peaceful, restful balm
Review: I have been a fan of Nan Merrill's book, Psalms for Praying, since it first came out in hardcover edition. I recommend it in the list of suggested reading in the back of my book, The Pocket Guide to Prayer. I also highly recommend it at the various prayer workshops I faciliate. As I have spent time with her rendition of the psalms, I have repeatedly discovered a timely phrase to help me prayerfully rest in God's abiding peace and experience God's love more fully. Just today, in fact, the phrase from Psalm 38, "Be my strength and uphold me," is one that has provided a resting place for my troubled spirit and served as a healing balm. I am grateful to Nan for interpreting the psalms in such a way that I, and I suspect many others as well, are able to re-connect with the One who desires that we come away for a while and rest peacefully in God's tender embrace.
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Summary: Progressive and Insightful
Review: If you are tired of the Psalms, Nan Merrill's new, fresh version may be just the thing to open the prayers of the church for this new day. If you are tired of inclusive language where "God" or "Godself" has become wearisome, you'll delight in this generous burst of descriptive language. If patriarchal imagery and language has brought your reading of scripture to a halt, take another look at the Psalms in Nan Merrill's vital, creative interpretations for today--both for men and women. My own heart has been freed to pray the prayers of the church again through this tremendous release.
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Summary: Prayers of the Church freed from patriarchy
Review: If you are tired of the Psalms, Nan Merrill's new, fresh version may be just the thing to open the prayers of the church for this new day. If you are tired of inclusive language where "God" or "Godself" has become wearisome, you'll delight in this generous burst of descriptive language. If patriarchal imagery and language has brought your reading of scripture to a halt, take another look at the Psalms in Nan Merrill's vital, creative interpretations for today--both for men and women. My own heart has been freed to pray the prayers of the church again through this tremendous release.
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Summary: Merrill rewrites the Bible to her liking
Review: If you love the Psalter, and love to pray in the spirit of Piper, Lewis, Foster, etc., I'd suggest staying away from this book. The cover jacket clued me in to what this was about "the Books of Psalms recast in the light of the continuing revalation and evolution of the authentic religious spirit of scriptures". After reading this volumes actual treatment of some of my favorite Psalms, I was left feeling like Merrill had taken the precious flowers in the Psalter and dunked them into sugar syrup. References to God are replaced with Love and Beloved. There are new age and psychological references throughout
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Summary: Progressive and Insightful
Review: Most fundamentalists will not like this publication. Progressives will appreciate the emphasis on Love as central to the character of God. Nan C. Merrill clearly states that this work is not a replacement for the Psalter of the Hebrew Scriptures. Her work is excellent and the language she uses is endowed with spiritual depth emphasizing the Love and Mercy of God more than the "vengence is mine" character of God. This edition is oriented to the person who is called to a deeper life and love in God through prayer. It clearly articulates the interior struggle of the human person as the human being interacts deals with the dilemmas of human existence in the relationship with God and God's creation. It is a marvelous text for the practice of Lectio Divina or for praying with the scriptures. For persons who wish to move beyond a primal level of "get the enemy" perspective of faith. For those who want to go deeper this book is a must for the bookshelf as a rich resource along with the Hebrew Psalms. And as difficult a time as the human being has with vengence on this planet this book is a breath of fresh air.
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Summary: Palms for Praying
Review: Palms for Praying have become a part of my daily devotions for about three years. It is a book I give to my Christian friends. If your interested in wholeness in the Love of Christ the peace of God just flows from the words of these psalm. Can not count the blessings I have received and continue to receive.
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Summary: Palms for Praying
Review: Palms for Praying have become a part of my daily devotions for about three years. It is a book I give to my Christian friends. If your interested in wholeness in the Love of Christ the peace of God just flows from the words of these psalm. Can not count the blessings I have received and continue to receive.
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Summary: Too psychologized
Review: This is the first book I've ever returned. While a lot of what she does is admirable and does work (the "You" form instead of "Lord/He" works very well), two things make it unusable: constant use of "Beloved" for the word "God" or "Lord" becomes irritating very quickly, and she subjectively pops out the word "enemies" wherever it appears and puts in "fears." I wouldn't dare tell someone with AIDS or a refuge or whomever that their only enemy is their own fears, and even for others such overpersonalization doesn't work. The classic 137th Psalm was unrecognizable -- where did the dolphins come from?
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Summary: Meh
Review: While I am by no means a fundamentalist, I am very disappointed with these particular translations of the Psalms. At times entire passages are removed -- often passages that express pain, frustration, and skepticism. What we have instead are sugar coated Psalms devoid of real human emotion. In spite of this, I admire the spirit and aim of this book. For a good, progressive book on the Psalms I recommend Walter Brueggemann's Praying the Psalms.
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