I'll take my Psalms Plain

It was exciting to receive " The Word of Promise The Gift of Psalms" from Thomas Nelson Publisher's to review for the Book Review Blogger program I've enrolled in.

The book is a beautifully bound book that looks and feels like an expensive gift edition. Pages are embossed with gold. And tucked in the back of the book are 3 cds that are dramatic audio renditions with background music of 30 of the Psalms and devotionals from the book read by professional actors

Yet the actual read of the book was difficult for me. I am a lover of the book of Psalms. And each of the 50 selected Psalm excerpts are laid out nicely (NKJV) on the left page with the right page being the devotional. Something just did not feel right about the devotional aspect of the book. It was like the Psalms alone weren't complete enough to minister to the reader. As if there is a deeper explanation needed for us to understand the intent of God.

The same being true of the included cd's. If the cds were only readings of the actual Psalms I'd be listening to them over and over. Yet with the devotionals read after each Psalm I won't care to listen again.

I doubt I'll be recommending this book, mostly because of the added content beyond the Psalms. I'd love this exact format for the entire book of Psalms without the added content. I find the book of Psalms alone to be a devotional fully complete in themselves


What I will be glad to do is to "re-gift" this book. Because of it's beauty. I'm sure anyone who gets this book will be initially very impressed as I was.

Thank you Thomas Nelson Publishing for encouraging your book review bloggers to fairly review the books received either negatively or positively.

I'm happily awaiting my next book to review.