Book Reviews-Recommendations, Celebrate Lit Blogger, Non-Fiction Reviews/Recommendations

Book Review: Psalm Hymns

January 29, 2020January 28, 2020

The Basics

Title: Psalm Hymns, Volume Five, Psalms 107-150
Author: L. L. Larkins
Genre: Non-Fiction
Release Date: July 10, 2019

Book Synopsis

You’ve landed on the final book of Biblical Psalms in the Psalm Hymns series, Volume Five, Psalms 107-150 contains singable, recitable psalms in full form, adapted from the Biblical Psalms.

In this last volume of the Psalm Hymns series, you are offered a method for singing book V of the Biblical Psalms. Maybe your favorite psalm is included.

There are some sticky psalms, like Psalm 119- King David’s love poem to God’s law. You can ask yourself while singing it, why the law is important to a King. Psalm 137 is full of bile and bitterness, written by the remnant captives after the desolation of Jerusalem. But there are also the most lyrical and beautiful of praises for the eternal rule of God found in the Psalms of Ascent and in Psalm 107 and Psalm 136.

Psalm 139 is the lyrical ode and articulate description of God knitting our bodies together in secret, and how He watches over and cares for us no matter where we go.

The Celebration Psalms finish out the entire book of Psalms and Psalm Hymns series as a grand finale.

Click here for your copy!

My Two Cents

This is a wonderful resource that combines two of my favorite things, Psalms from God’s Word and music. In this fifth and final volume of Psalm Hymns by L. L. Larkins. It includes Psalms 107-150. Using different translations of the Bible, she suggests using the tunes of hymns, some well-known and others not so well-known, to sing each Psalm. A few of hymns are: Precious Lord, Take My Hand, The Love of God, and My Jesus I Love Thee.

I highly recommend this volume, as well as the other four. Use it in your personal devotions or with other Christ-followers and sing the Psalms together.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing from L. L. Larkins. I was not required to provide a positive review. Thoughts in “My Two Cents” are my own opinion.

About the Author

L. L. Larkins graduated with a double major in Bible and Music from Colorado Christian University. Larkins is not a public speaker and in fact, enjoys being slightly incognito. This keeps the focus on the experience of singing the Psalms in each one’s own fashion or group. It also keeps any hero-worship or dart-throwing contests about the author at bay.

The Psalms provide a different experience of praise and worship than what is currently experienced in western Christian music. Both are valuable. Larkins wrote each of the Psalm Hymns books (a series) in the given biblical context of chapter and verse. They are meant for teaching and experiential learning in Bible studies, as introductions to pastoral messages in the Psalms, for devotions during tours of the Holy Land, and for religious education for homeschoolers. But, they are also meant for anyone who loves the Psalms and enjoys a good puzzle. Some Psalms are so long that singing them can feel like chanting unless there is a creative musician in the group who knows about key changes, soloists, style changes, and other musical effects.

Larkins has wrestled with the puzzles of the psalms and has been thrilled with the spiritual enlightenment that adapting the Psalms to music has provided.

More from L. L. Larkins

Hi, and welcome to everyone wanting to go deep and wide, welcome to this singing book tour of the Psalms!

It’s my feeling that no other kind of Bible study can be quite as fun as a singing Bible study! You look at each other and can get a little anxious, but then someone starts singing the tune with the words of the Psalm and then everyone joins in or takes a turn. Nervous people start singing harmonies, then they get stronger. People start laughing at themselves or at the wonder of the words they’ve never really heard before. Afterward, people start commenting and asking questions. It’s just a blast!

The Psalms were written as prayers and soulful examinations about life, and as secret cover letters in times of war, and as testimonies about God’s miracles. But the Psalms were always meant to be sung rather than recited. Did you know? Singing excites the imagination and connects a variety of brain synapsis so that they create spiritual buzzes, new understanding, and alarms ring with new opportunities for faith and belief.

Our church uses the Psalm Hymns books as hymnals. We sing a Psalm before each message. If you are going on a tour of the Holy Land or are an educator or lay leader or pastor, I hope that you contact my publisher, Capture Books, about getting some copies of the Psalm Hymns in bulk for groups. I think there is special group pricing available.

Thanks so much for this opportunity to show off Biblical Literature adapted for today’s Church experience.