Book Notes: Wisdom from the Psalms

Deanna Bartalini invites you to take a deep dive into the Psalms with Peter Kreeft; you won’t regret it.

It’s been far too long since I have read anything by Peter J. Kreeft, and after reading this book, I’m not sure why! His style makes you think, stretches your understanding, and homes in on what is important. If you read the psalms regularly or want to learn more about them, this book, Wisdom from the Psalms by Peter J. Kreeft, is for you.

wisdom from the psalms

Thankfully, Kreeft does not explain every psalm; if he had, the book would be much longer. Instead, he has taken twelve: the first and last bracket the selections. In between are Psalm 23, 51, 139, 103, 19, 27, 42, 24, 137 and 96. He explains why he choose each psalm and the order in the book, “I have ordered my twelve psalms by a loose but natural spiritual or psychological progression.” At first, it bothered me a bit that they were not in order, but then I lost interest in that as I read. I do not read the psalms in order anyway.

This book will inform your intellectual curiosity as well as deepen your spiritual understanding of each psalm discussed. Kreeft reminds us that the psalms are the prayers prayed by Jesus and his disciples. The Jews prayed the psalms. We use the psalms at each Mass and in the Liturgy of the Hours. Each day, all day, we turn to God using these prayers from long ago.

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This book will inform your intellectual curiosity as well as deepen your spiritual understanding of each psalm discussed. #catholicmom

When Kreeft unpacks each psalm, he does so with a mix of personal stories, biblical exegesis (expressing the true sense of Sacred Scripture), and references to popular culture and other authors. He makes the psalms very relevant, they come alive and their meaning is deepened. If you want to learn more about the psalm or enter into them more deeply, I encourage you to take a look at his book.

Do not be intimidated that it is written by Peter Kreeft or the foreword written by Scott Hahn; it is accessible. It is the sort of book to pick up when you need a lift, some enlightenment. You do not need to read it cover to cover, read the psalm that will inspire or comfort you at the moment.

This book is published by Ignatius Press and can be purchased on their website or Amazon.

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