Psalms As Postmodern Poetry

This book offers a refreshing new look at the Book of Psalms, presenting an analysis of the postmodern elements found in its poetry, and, as such, will be of special interest to scholars in the field of literature and Bible studies. The book highlights the continued relevance of the Book of Psalms as a source of sustenance and comfort, and as an enduring practical handbook for life.

Uniting the lyrical songs of Israel with their literary legacy, this book comprises renditions of the Psalms by 25 renowned poets from the 16th to the 20th century.

The human experience is an intimate, tough, and, at times, hilarious conversation with what is familiar and what is mystery. Poetry at its best turns this conversation into art and teaches by example how to employ language creatively and courageously--even coyly--in exploring the full range of human response to whatever life may deliver. Certainly the biblical Psalms set the highest of standards in this regard. In Opening King David, Davis takes aim at making contemporary poems in conversation with the Psalms; his personal, cultural, and natural surroundings; and the wonder and mess of his own soul. As a painter with all colors at his disposal, Davis writes with the full spectrum of his available vocabulary, sometimes reaching for the glorious ineffable, at other times bluntly telling it like it--darkly--is. Neither devotional nor inspirational nor religious, these human poems take God seriously and honor our common struggle toward what Saint Paul calls "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

In Theopoetry of the Psalms Cas J.A. Vos explores the beauty of the Psalms and examines their meaning within the context of exegesis, homiletics and poetry. By investigating the structure, literary genre, history and theology of the Psalms he traces the ways in which they continue to be relevant to contemporary readers and to modern worship. Vos scrutinizes the Psalms as a volume of poetry and a work of art; considers hermeneutical approaches and difficulties, providing not only a verse-by-verse analysis but also a contextual history; outlines a comprehensive homiletic theory for preaching the Psalms; and concludes with a study of the Psalms in liturgy. Theopoetry of the Psalms is valuable to those Biblical scholars who wish to explore the theological and exegetical interpretation of the Psalms as well as to those readers who are interested in liturgics and practical theology for preaching and worship.

The poems contained in this book were all written at key points in my life. In essence, each poem served as a source of inspiration to get me through dark times and remind me of my dependency on the grace of God. Each piece included in this book focuses on salvation and who you are in God! You may notice that some of these pieces have a unique flow and structure that one would normally associate with lyrics to a song, and such pieces can be converted to contemporary Gospel songs. Because of the connection between these poems and my heart, I feel these are my most personal work. This book is the first of more to come. I hope that in reading these short pieces you too can be inspired to believe. I believe these poems will inspire you, no matter where you may find yourself in life, as they will serve to remind you that you are somebody because God values you! The greatest message God ever proclaimed to humanity was through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus through His death upon the cross. We live in a world that does not value human dignity, a world that treats people as if they are commodities! But I hope to introduce you through these writings, to a higher love. It is my desire that you learn to see yourself through the eyes of God rather than through the eyes of the world! Remember, better is not good enough! The best is yet to come.

Jeffrey Cohen employs his poetic skill and biblical scholarship to the challenging task of rendering the Book of Psalms into rhymed verse. While there are several fine renderings into English blank verse, notably that of Robert Alter, it is Cohen's belief that it is the rhymed verse genre that can best convey the vibrant and passionate spirit of the original Hebrew poetry, and its innate lyricism that lent it, so naturally and from ancient times, to musical and choral accompaniment. This highly original work conveys the inner meaning, lyricism, and message of the psalms in a manner that will engage and inspire adherents of all faiths and none. It also provides a useful exegetical tool for all who use the Bible for study, teaching, or preaching, demystifying many words and phrases whose meaning translators and commentators acknowledge as uncertain in the original text. This is as much a commentary as a work of poetry, as testified to by the endorsements of several Cambridge University biblical and Hebrew scholars. Before proceeding to create his poetry, the writer consulted the ancient Greek and Latin translations, as well as medieval and modern Jewish and non-Jewish interpretations, in order to attempt to clarify many of the acknowledged textual difficulties in the psalms. In many cases this impelled him to offer his own original interpretations. Readers will find these most helpful in clarifying the thematic link between many succeeding lines and paragraphs that, on a cursory reading of the standard translations, may appear disconnected. For scholars and students of the Bible this work will offer a novel perspective. For those who use the psalms for devotional purposes, this new edition will serve as an inspirational source, and for those whose interest is purely in the poetry, there is also much to appeal.