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The Bible—including the Psalms—expresses every emotion and behavior known to mankind. Psalms as Personal Prayer is a new translation direct from the Hebrew language in which the psalms were originally written. As a psalter it is an intimate translation, that is, a collection of psalms intended to be meaningful for intensely intimate personal prayer.

The psalms—written three thousand years ago—hearken to a time of no air-conditioned buildings and no artificial lighting. Life was guttural, it was in-your-face and lived in the midst of nature; life could be very dangerous. God, as portrayed in the Hebrew Scriptures—the Christian Old Testament—is our Protector, a spiritual warrior, tough, strong, and powerful. At the same time, He is loving and kind, the bedrock of mercy, the epitome of love.

Each translation of Scripture has an intended purpose or optimal use that guides the translator’s choice of word phrasing and even vocabulary. My intention has been to bring out the intimacy found in the psalms; the purpose is to align our prayer with engaging in a close, intimate, deeply personal relationship with our Creator. The goal of this translation is to find a prayerful balance in keeping as accurately to the original Hebrew wording and phrasing as is possible while taking into account idiomatic American English.

The source text for this translation is the original Hebrew.

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Knowing Professor Wolf’s scholarly approach to Sacred Scripture, I knew the task at hand would be as beautiful as those in my own Bible. His love and devotion to the Lord and His Word would be an act of love. Labor of love complete, read them for yourselves. Read the praise, beauty, the peace and calm that these Psalms nourish within your soul. Read them slowly, as I did, wanting the words of praise and thanksgiving to become yours. Read them side by side with your own Bible version giving it just the loveliest nuance, the rhythm of praise and glory. A soothing, spiritual, great read just as the Holy Spirit, David and the Psalmist, and Professor Eric Wolf intended.

As an aide in a nursing care facility, I needed to assist a resident who was described to me as very negative and difficult to get along with, although a clergyman. As I sat with him, I pulled out my smartphone and opened it to my Psalms as Personal Prayer translation and read and prayed some of these psalms. He enjoyed the experience and was calm throughout our entire visit. What a blessing!

Purchase

This title can be purchased as an eBook through Apple iTunes, and can be read via the free iBooks (now Apple Books) app on Apple iOS and Mac OS X devices.

This title can be purchased as a Kindle Book through Amazon.com, and can be read via the free Kindle Reader available through Amazon.com.

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