The Book of Psalms

A Translation with Commentary

By: Robert Alter

Write A Review

Paperback | 8 January 2010 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
560 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
21 x 14.5 x 2.5

Paperback

RRP $32.95

$30.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $7.75 with

or

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

The 150 poems comprising the Book of Psalms speak to us with a power and eloquence all the more remarkable for their roots in the distant past, vitually a different world. Most were written over a period of 500 years beginning in the 10th century BCE. By the 1st century CE the Book of Psalms had become, along with the Five Books of Moses, a cornerstone of the Scriptural canon. Since then the psalms have become the primary models for lyric poetry in the western tradition and have inspired some of the greatest writers from Augustine to Emily Dickinson and Paul Celan. They have become part of the daily and weekly liturgy in the Christian and Jewish traditions, and most importantly have been the source of solace in moments crisis or despair for untold numbers.

As in his acclaimed translation of THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES, here Robert Alter seeks to restore the remarkable power and eloquence of the Hebrew poems by capturing their dynamism and rhythmic compactness in idiomatic English. The contrast to the standard King James Version is stark: Alter's translation avoids the period phrasings and Christianizing meanings of the KJV. The translation is accompanied by Alter's learned and insightful commentary.

Industry Reviews

"You think you know these texts ... until you read Alter, who reignites their beauty in bracing and unexpected ways." -- Malcolm Jones - Newsweek "Alter is musically and poetically sensitive... [He] takes us back to the essence of the meaning." -- James Wood - The New Yorker "A considerable achievement... Alter holds me to his darkly economical texts." -- Harold Bloom - New York Review of Books "Every reader of this translation will be led towards fresh thoughts and will discover favorites that inspire the imagination in new, rich ways." -- Walter Brueggemann - Christian Century "In his compelling and swiftly moving translations, Alter has thrust the reader back to the place where the monotheistic religions were born out of even more ancient beginnings." -- Jewish Book World "The achievement of this new translation is to present the Book of Psalms as a wonder of ancient literature." -- The Tablet

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.