Saint John's Psalms-NRSV

2007 Catholic Press Association Award Winner

The second of seven full-color, page-by-page reproductions from The Saint John's Bible, Psalms engages the eye and ear with five distinct scripts and exquisite illuminations that include digital voice prints of sacred songs from many ethnic and religious traditions.

The Book of Psalms or praises is known as the prayer book of the Bible. For centuries, it has been a source of prayer, devotion, and inspiration. Part of the popularity of the Psalms is that they incorporate the entire breadth of human emotion and experience 'joy, fear, anger, love 'al the things we bring to God in our prayer.

Visual representations of chants from Benedictine, Native American, Muslim, Taoist and other traditions are the basis for illuminations of the Psalms. The varying pitch of the chants is rendered graphically to provide a motif for the abstract illumination. Every Psalm page features a small gold image that graphically renders the chanting of the monks from Saint John's Abbey. This process of reading of the Psalms is a continuous reminder that the Psalms are to be sacred songs 'and that in such singing God is present.

Jackson chose colors to represent different themes, and designs to symbolize the different types of Psalms. He devised a way of weaving the two together that resulted in a unique script, colors and shading. Readers can identify the patterns representing the national history of Israel corresponding with the individual types of Psalms.

The way the Psalms appear in The Saint John's Bible provide a way to read our favorite Psalms with new eyes so that we might truly see the Psalms whether they are sung or read poetically.

Notes regarding PsalmsIlluminations

Donald Jackson is one of the world's leading calligraphers and the artistic director and illuminator of The Saint John's Bible. He is a Senior Illuminator to the Queen of England's Crown Office and is an elected Fellow and past Chairman of the prestigious Society of Scribes and Illuminators. His 30-year retrospective exhibition, Painting with Words, premiered at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in August,1988 and traveled to 13 museums and galleries.

The launch of a national museum tour of the The Saint John's Bible began at The Minneapolis Institute of Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota in April 2005 where record crowds greeted the inaugural exhibit during its three-month run. The Saint John's Bible will continue its national exhibition tour that includes museums and galleries from throughout the United States and Europe. Learn more about The Saint John's Bible exhibit.

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814690564
• ISBN13: 9780814690567
• Release Date: February 2005
• Publisher: Liturgical Press
• Length: 84 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 10.2" x 15.3"

Customer Reviews

Praying the Psalms Aloud

For a great read aloud, praying the Psalms Bible, the St. John's Illuminated Psalter is a beauty. Visually a masterpiece, with calligraphy text and unparalleled illustrations to assist listeners, this new illuminated Bible is a great addition to the home for anyone interested in bringing back to ancient tradition of reading the Bible aloud with others. Though pricey for each section of the Bible, what a gift to give to another who is thirsting for a drink from the deep well of Scripture. In true Benedictine style and spirituality of excellence, the St. John community has outdone themselves, offering an extraordinary gift to the English speaking world! For a practical book on family spirituality, including the habit of reading aloud from the Bible in your home, look into The Busy Family's Guide to Spirituality: Practical Lessons for Modern Living From the Monastic Tradition

Stunning Caligraphy

The beauty of this book is that it allows the words of the Psalms to sing. The calligrapher's art never gets in the way of the prayers. The other books that the monks of St John's Abbey have caused to be created are perfect and the illuminated texts are a feast for the eye. Sometimes though, we Americans just need to step back and savor the beauty of words. Donald Jackson has given us that opportunity. Savor it.

Excellent Manuscript

Looking at some of the previous reviews, it seems that the other reviewers are missing the point. This wasn't done by a computer; it was done by hand. "Increase the font size?" It isn't possible. It's not like it is a TrueType font on a computer. As for the lack of ornamentation, everyone is missing the point: the calligraphy itself is the art. NOBODY does this by hand, they haven't since the printing press was invented. The monks at St. John's Abbey did not do this to make money, or impress people, it was done to glorify God. If you need lots of pretty pictures to distract you while reading the Psalms, you are missing the point of the Psalms as well as the point of this project. When I think of the monks pouring over every word, making sure each stroke is perfect, that's all the inspiration I need.

Beautiful Calligraphy sorely misunderstood

Donald Jackson and his colleagues let their calligraphic skills shine in this volume of The Saint John's Bible. Unfortunately, many readers purchased this book hoping for the same level of illustration found in the Gospels and Acts voulme. What the detractors of Psalms utterly fail to understand is Jackson's intent to let the text of the psalms speak free from the artist's interpretation. The Psalms are perhaps the most personal texts in all of the Bible; it would have been truly unfortunate if the artist had imposed his vision on the psalms, rather than respecting their integrity as texts of personal and liturgical prayer.

Worthy of God's prayer book

This is a lovely way to look at the prayers that have expressed the faith of many over the millenia. A truly remarkable vision of the Psalms