Pslamist, I Am, by Ray Abner

[Note: I received this book without charge from WestBow Press in exchange for an honest review.]

It is a difficult matter to review a book that consists mainly of compilations of thematically chosen verses and passages of the psalms without commentary or explanation. Does one show disappointment for the fact that Abner does not provide more than a very short introductory statement that provides his clear purpose and motive for releasing this book and lets the psalms (taken from the NIV, NLT, NRSV, and NASB translations and versions) speak for themselves? Does one scribble one’s thoughts on the pages set aside for journaling at the end of each chapter, with exhortations like the following: “You too are a Psalmist! Journal here, with dates…As you gather your thoughts on how Father God shows Himself in your life, journal it”? Does one show an appreciation for the fact that an avowed Christian (who begins each chapter with some artwork and a quite from the New Testament) openly avows and supports the emotionally honest attitude of the psalmists rather than condemning them (as is often the case in Christian circles) for emotional immaturity, or looks with horror upon the content of the imprecatory psalms? Or does one’s response show all of these mixed feelings together?

A fair-minded reader of this work ought to show appreciation of Abner’s work as a compiler, for although this is a work that is easy to read very quickly, it is also a worthwhile compilation of often-obscure psalms (including selections from a vast majority of psalms, some of them included in their entirety and others, like Psalm 106, 118, and 119, quoted several times). For those of us (myself included) who have fairly drastic ups and downs in our lives and emotional state, this book reminds us that the psalmists were people of God and that God does not condemn us for our feelings, so long as our feelings do not overwhelm our faith and devotion to Him. This honest and fair-minded and biblical understanding of emotions make this book a useful tonic to the harsh condemnation that people often receive for feeling down, especially at prolonged trials. Since childhood I myself have recognized the use of the psalms in finding likeminded people and struggles [1] [2] [3], and this book does a good work in spreading that understanding, both explicitly and implicitly, to others.

For that aspect alone, this book is worth reading for those especially to whom the psalms are not familiar as part of one’s normal devotional reading, or those for whom the 150 psalms are a bit overwhelming and difficult to locate psalms that deal with one’s specific longings and concerns and spiritual and emotional state. This work is divided thematically, as different psalms are used to demonstrate different aspects of the state of a believer. The chapters of this book deal with: the God of a psalmist, the prayer of a psalmist, a psalmist in distress, a psalmist reveals the blessed, a psalmist exposes the wicked, a psalmist as a follower of God, a psalmist as a revealer of God’s promises, a palmist praising God, a psalmist pointing To Christ, and a psalmist recounting God’s ways. The book closes with an index of the psalms quoted in this work. Each chapter of the book begins with the title, a New Testament quote, and some thematic artwork, then a variety of passages about the topic at hand (many of them with sidebar text that reveal a quote from the passage that the compiler finds worthy of emphasis), and then a few pages for journaling at the end.

Given the important point that Abner has to make about the value of the psalms in giving voice to our thoughts and feelings in a variety of circumstances, and in the love of God for us despite our wildly varying emotional state, it is a shame that the author does not provide more commentary on these points. Perhaps he feels as if the psalms themselves provide all the commentary that is necessary, but in selecting quotes out of context, and in not providing more explicit discussion of the validity of all of his quotes to the specific theme at hand, the compiler misses a chance to provide a greater warrant for readers taking his work (and the Book of Psalms) as he intends. There are some minor copyediting problems as well, where there is inconsistent capitalization at the beginning of quoted psalms, but this sort of error can be fixed easily in subsequent printings and does not greatly detract from the work. This is a limited achievement, as a work of compilation rather than inspiration, but it is no less worthwhile for that. Whether we consider ourselves psalmists or not, this work helps us to identify with the psalmists openly and honestly, and that is no mean achievement.

[1] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/psalm-88-for-my-soul-is-full-of-troubles/

[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/heman-profile-of-a-godly-man/

[3] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/personal-profile-heman-the-ezrahite/