Customer Reviews

The Abbey Psalter: The Book of Psalms Used by the Trappist Monks of Genesse Abbey

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THE ABBEY PSALTER is a large attractive burgundy cloth hard cover book with stylized gilded lettering on the front cover. It reads: The Abbey Psalter. I like it for two reasons. The first is the beautiful, large easy-to-read print and also its fresh translation. Both lend themselves to "praying the psalms." I find it to be "a text ... artfully copied out by hand ... as to suggest something of a personal character that suits the meditative recital of the psalms, and something too of the peace and silence that monks seek to bring to their common prayer" (Foreward). Each of the 150 psalms begins with a larger red letter; there are no verse numbers to interrupt worship, merely diamond-style bullets. In addition to the psalms, the book includes: The Song of Zechariah, The Song of Mary, The Song of Simeon, and Revelation 15, which ends with, "All nations will come and worship you/ for your judgments have been revealed." The second reason I enjoy this book is because of the short but informative Foreward by John Eudes Bamberger, Abbot of the Genesee. He begins: "The Psalter is the prayerbook of the people of God." Thereafter, he quickly and clearly traces the history of the use of the psalms in the Catholic tradition. Furthermore, the book contains, "A Note on Cistercian Art" to accompany nine black & white full page illustrations scattered throughout the text: "Their motifs fall into two categories: stylized flowers and vegetation, and geometric patterns and interlace." This is a beautful and touching book. (I think I just might buy another.)

I first heard of this book in the late 70's,when another surger in the late Thomas Mertons books was underway. This Psalter is a copy of the one used by the trappists of Our Lady of the Genesee in Piffard, N.Y... I t is a BEAUTIFUL,lovely to look at and hold copy of each of the 150 psalms, lovingly written in large,clean calligraphy.The book itself is big,and meant to be read from a short distance[as the monks do in choir]. a wonderful gift for anyone who loves the psalms, or liturgical prayer. Very ,very well put together.The short,concise intorduction done by Abbot John Eudes Bamberger is superb.{Of related interest is THE GENESEE DIARY by Henri Nouwen, available at Amazon,in which he describes 8 months spent at the Abbey of Genesee}

A large-format, hard cover Psalter, beautifully printed and bound. The text is entirely in caligraphy, and is printed large enough to be read from a few feet away -- as presumably the monks do as they stand and chant the Psalms, with the book on a stand in front of them. It is probably best used this way, and not held in the hands -- it can be held, but it is probably a little large and heavy to be held for long.

This book would make a nice gift for someone whose love of, and use of, the Psalter you would like to honor.

Sometimes, particularly when the heart is heavy, using this book to pray the psalms is particularly useful and fruitful, because there are no distractions. The caligraphy is clear and seems to truly help to focus on each psalm, narrowing it to each line, then to each word...sometimes one ends up marvelling at the stroke of the pen which created the word, but that too becomes part of the prayer - part of the WONDER of prayer. It's a genuinely excellent prayerbook, and it also makes a wonderful gift for a person of faith.

This is a wonderful translation of the Psalms.
It is the 1963 translation of the Grail Psalter.
Great way to pray.

I have been praying the Divine Office for years now--not as regularly as I should, but quite a bit--and I have been trying for years to find the "Grail" translation. It's so refreshing to find a modern translation that isn't saddled with "inclusive language" (it's a key point of Catholic theology that the Psalms refer to Jesus, so "the man" referred to is just that, The Man, Jesus Christ.

I only wish that we could have another edition, this one smaller and lighter.

Beautiful presented 'work book' which is a delight to use. The print is exceptional and makes for very easy reading even by those whose sight is not the best.

Anyone familiar with the Psalms will delight in this Book. It's written to be used daily not just for occasional reference.

I bought this for my wife for Christmas sight unseen. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how lovely a volume it was. The lettering is beautiful yet easy to read. One could meditate on the script in and of it's self. The Grail translation of the Psalms is fresh and attractive though I suspect that it may not be as inclusive as some wish given that this volume precedes the 2004 inclusive language Grail Psalter by over 20 years. Each of the Psalms begins with a large red letter and there are no verse numbers to detract the reader and they "pray" the Psalms. It is a beautiful volume, and my wife tells me that I can't have hers.

This is an awesome Psalter written with caligraphy type which to me adds to its beauty. The Psalms are among my favorites and this Psalter makes them even more enjoyable. I highly recommend it.