The Psalms: Meditations for Every Day of the Year [Paperback]

Joan Chittister (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1996

The psalms are the oldest prayers in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Joan Chittister sees them as a lexicon of the human condition, assuring us of God's caring presence and loving help in every situation. In this beautifully designed book, Chittister provides a favorite psalm for each month and a reflection on the prayer for each day so that the psalm can become a benedition that pulsates in our hearts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chittister (The Seasons of Life), known as "Sister Joan" to her readers and admirers, is the executive director of Benetvision: A Resource Center for Contemporary Spirituality. Here, she chooses to introduce each month's meditations with a verse from one of the Psalms, the "oldest prayers in the Judeo-Christian tradition," which "show us that our hopes and fears, desires and emotions are just like the rest of humanity's" while giving us the assurance of God's "caring presence and loving help in every situation." She suggests that the reader say the month's chosen verse before each day's reading. Each month, for the reader's further guidance, Chittister provides a brief, thoughtful comment following the Psalm verse and preceding the concise and provocative daily readings based on or around the verse. Consoling as all of this sounds, the questions raised by the daily readings will cause reader/users to reflect deeply upon several aspects of their lives and to examine their belief systems, their values and their priorities.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: The Crossroad Publishing Company (July 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824515811
• ISBN-13: 978-0824515812
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Jewish Texts > Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

More About the Author

Joan Chittister, OSB (1936- ) is a Benedictine Sister of Erie, PA. She is the author of over 40 books--ten of which have won Catholic Press Association Awards (the latest 2011: God's Tender Mercy). Her book, The Monastery of the Heart: an invitation to a meaningful life, is prelude to a movement for all seekers: Monasteries of the Heart, recently begun by her Benedictine community. Sister Joan is an international speaker who inspires both her audiences and readers with her passion for justice, for equality and for peace, especially for women in both society and the church. Her PhD is from Penn State University in Speech-Communication Theory. She serves as Executive Director of Benetvision, a research and resource center for contemporary spirituality.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glorious Versions of twelve Psalms for daily Devotional, June 27, 2006

By 

Fred W. Hood - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Psalms: Meditations for Every Day of the Year (Paperback)

"The Psalms are the Oldest Prayers in the Judeo-Christian tradition. They trace the human condition back for thousands of years." So writes Sister Joan Chittister in her brief Intro to The Psalms. For each month she chooses one of the key psalms of Praise, Love, Joy, Hope or Compassion with themes befitting that Psalm.

For Feb 28 after writing about her ordinary desk, ordinary car, and ordinary food, she quotes Dag Hammarskjold: Our ordinary Life is in..."the Holiness of human life, before which we bow down in worship."

April's Psalm 71 is one of Prof. Walter Bueggemann's favorites, For a Psalm of Despair and Hope! She uses as her marvelous conclusion from Emily Dickinson: "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul...And sings the tune without words and never stops at all."

June is the Month of my birthday, on June 16...She quotes Erica Jong: "Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: No one is to blame!" For June 21, "Loneliness is the poverty of Self; Solitude is the richness of Self!"

Sister Joan is the epitome of one who gracefully places the right words into her chosen psalms which touch our deeper needs and hungers of spiritual desire for Compassion, Hope, and Love!

This is her one most profoundly simple and beautiful creations. Sincerely in gratitude... "Revi" Fred W Hood

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE WHO HAS MEDITATED THE PSALMS EVERY DAY OF HER ADULT BENEDICTINE LIFE SHARES HER INSIGHT GENEROUSLY AND WISELY WITH US, October 30, 2007

By 

C. Scanlon "least helpful reviewer" (among us humans) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Psalms: Meditations for Every Day of the Year (Paperback)

Once more we are fortunate to find the prolific and Catholic Benedictine Sister Joan sharing the depths of her spiritual insight with us, guiding us in prayer and here in meditation of the Psalms, these 150 ancient prayers and praises of the Old Testament read in their entirety each week by the followers of Our Holy Father Saint Benedict.

Knowing well our softness Sister Joan does not oblige us to read all 150 in this book, but asks us to take one a month, preferably with meals, providing a daily thought based upon the Psalm of the month, ranging from the spiritually divine to the awakening, joyfully ridiculous.

Thus each month we are invited each day of that omnth to read the same Psalm. committing her to memory if possible by the end of the month, and each day supplementing that reading with a brief thought for that day supplied by Sister Joan from her ample trreasure house of spiritual knowledge and apophthegmes.

I could not help but notice there lacks a selection for the 29th of February, which falls every four years. Perhaps that day by implication contemplative silence is suggested.

This month's Psalm reading, for example, is from Psalm 92: "The just will flourish . . ." A brief introduction comes with each month; "We live in a strange period of history . . .". Today's special reading suggests we bring someone half our age to lunch and ask them three values they wish to live by and why, and thereby learn to cherish and to live the rest of our own lives.

Next month, November, we contemplate together Psalm 145: "You, O God, are kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love. You are good to all, compassionate to all your creatures."

Her introduction to November's guided reading concludes: "It is compassion that supports us in our darkest times; it is compassion for which we are most grateful in life, and it is compassion that we ourselves must develop if we are ever to be worth anything to anyone at all - besides ourselves (p.122)." alone.

May this brief taste of the sweetness and the light of this substantial volume serve to whet your appetite for more, as there lies set herein a rich and spiritual feast, true to our Catholic Faith and the Path of Peace through prayer.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars living the life as directed by Jesus, January 30, 2004

By 

Jerry Rudnisky (Edmonton, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Psalms: Meditations for Every Day of the Year (Paperback)

Joan gives you daily sayings for daily living in a monthly format. She deals with topics like love, suffering and forgiveness. She lets us know how we should live our life and basically what will happen to you once you die. Her interpretation of the Bible permits you to meet God. These are oneliners that you can read as many or as few as you like at one time.