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Developed during his teaching ministry around the world, this book is the fruit of a lifetime's engagement with the Psalms. As a broadcaster and writer, John is loved for being entirely genuine and, in the words of Archbishop Justin Welby, 'his cogent and penetrating contributions reach an audience well beyond the churches'.
Here John explores the psalms as they impinge on daily life, drawing on stories and personal testimonies in order to help readers grieve, or rejoice, or draw encouragement from this most extraordinary and fascinating collection of sacred poems and songs.
'John Bell of the Iona Community has been for many years one of the most recognized voices on BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day, where his cogent and penetrating topical contributions reach an audience well beyond the churches.' - Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
— Church Times on 'Living with the Psalms'
aThe Last Journey: Few recordings have struck a chord as deep and profound as this heart-rending yet ultimately uplifting CD and accompanying book.'
— GIA Publications
'Highly recommended as a valuable resource for Readers involved in pastoral work for the dying and especially in funeral ministry, as [the volume] shows great sensitivity and insight.'
— The Reader
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiv
1 The perennial popularity of the Psalms 1
2 Popular misconceptions 16
3 What is it about Psalm 23? 20
4 A vocabulary for pain 29
5 What is it about Psalm 88? 43
6 Hot gossip and hard places 50
7 Malediction 59
8 What is it about Psalm 137? 69
9 Just texts 75
10 So what? 84
11 Carefully avoided snapshots 88
12 The language of the Psalms 96
13 Jesus and the Psalms 107
14 God and nature in the Psalms 116
15 Remembering in the Psalms 127
16 Trusting in the Psalms 136
17 Deep praise 139
For study groups 147
Psalms for personal devotions 154