The Psalms are a book with which I have spent a lot of time over the past couple of years, not so much studying as reading, memorizing, and meditating. It is full of truth about God and his care for His people. Recently, Zondervan provided me with a free copy of The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms written by Brian Webster and David Beach, with a request that I give it a read and review. I was pleased to be able to go through it, hoping that it would assist me in my endeavor to worship God as the writers of the Psalms do.
The book is divided into three parts: an introduction where the authors provide brief but valuable information on the types of psalms; a series of charts that describe terms used for God, a list of the psalms according to types, and a couple of others that may or may not be useful to the casual reader; and finally a one page introduction to each of the psalms, which is why someone would want to own the book. In this final part, each psalm is given one page to describe with the same format: theme, type, author, background, structure, and special notes that may be of interest. At the end of the page a short reflection is given for personal thought and meditation. There is also a picture on each page which supposedly connects with the theme of the psalm in some way.
When I received the book, I immediately went to a few of the psalms which I have memorized (1, 23, 103, 121) to see how they were treated, hoping to gain some insights that would benefit my times of recitation and meditation. While I found the provided information to be of interest, it did not seem to offer anything that I could not have found quickly in other resources, and in some cases, just through my own time of thought and study with very little or no help at all. For example, in Psalm 1, the structure is not too difficult to see from simple observation, with three different sections, each providing a contrast between the unrighteous and righteous. In Psalm 103, a longer psalm, the structure is not as easy to see without careful thought, but the comments on structure by the authors did not really help me in my understanding or appreciation of the great truths brought out. In fact, in my own meditation, I was struck with the repetition of the thought about those who “fear the Lord”, but there was no mention of that concept. My own reflection on this Psalm would certainly include a reference to that concept.
The book itself is attractive. It strikes me as a coffee table book in design, with glossy pages and photographs. It is something that someone might pick up in a few spare minutes of time, or just prior to reading through a specific psalm. In that case I would prefer to see it in hardback form for repeated use. As a paperback, the cover flips up after a couple of uses and is therefore not that attractive sitting on the table any longer.
The length of the book (as well as its purpose, I suppose) does not suggest that it is intended for serious study. Those who want something to use for a deep exploration of each psalm can find other resources rather easily. For teachers, pastors, and serious students, I would recommend that you look elsewhere. For those who want to add to their devotional reading of the Psalms, the book provides some good thoughts to prepare you for the message of each psalm. The information in parts 1 and 2 are also beneficial for those who want a greater understanding of the Psalms as a whole. If you understand what you are getting, it’s a good book to include in your library.
