cover image Psalms: A Spiritual Commentary

Psalms: A Spiritual Commentary

M. Basil Pennington. Skylight Paths Publishing, $19.99 (149pp) ISBN 978-1-59473-141-9

When news of Father Pennington's death was announced in June of 2005, readers of his previous works (Centering Prayer; Finding Grace at the Center, etc.) mourned the passing of a man of profound spirituality. In this, his final book, Pennington gives us an eloquent and moving commentary on the Psalms, infusing the text with his love for the scriptures and his sense of unity with God. Selecting 22 of his favorite Psalms, Pennington offers his own translation, followed by reflections grounded in a lifetime of study and prayer. His ability to dig beneath the text and find layers of meaning amazes the reader. He sees God, not mere words, in the Bible's sacred pages, finally proclaiming ""Our God is an amazing God"" as he drinks deeply from the divine fountain. There are hints that Pennington knows his time is short, but his eloquence and wonder are fully intact and emerge on every page. Illustrations by Phillip Ratner accompany each chapter. This is not merely a commentary on the Psalms, but a love letter from a man who immersed himself in their grandeur and majesty.