“Where there is no vision, the people perish:but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Proverbs 29:18
The Bible is filled with poems. The prophets, along with the books of Job and Ecclesiastes, are mainly poetic. The Song of Songs, Proverbs, Lamentations, and the Psalms are wholly poetic. Many of David’s Psalms which we find in the collection are also found in the historical books of Kings and Chronicles. And one of the first “songs” recorded in our English Bible is found in Exodus 15, where Moses and the children of Israel recount God’s deliverance from the army of Pharaoh:
“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying,
“I will sing unto the LORD,for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” Exodus 15:1 (KJV)
The impact that the Psalms have in our everyday lives has not escaped the notice of author Michelle Howe. Having immersed herself in the emotional center of Scripture, author Michelle Howe poured herself into this creative effort to enable people to work through some of life’s most daunting challenges. The breadth of ground she covers, from loneliness and depression to physical and financial challenges . . . to the one challenge that everyone is currently facing in the COVID-19 Pandemic . . . time and again Michelle Howe draws the reader back to the source of hope: the hymnbook of God’s chosen people, the Psalms of Scripture.
Each chapter begins with a reading from the Book of Psalms; then using real life stories, Howe captivates the reader’s attention, illuminating life’s heartaches with the sweet salve of Scripture. A personal prayer, relevant application in the Take Away Action Thought, and two or three activities for reader response round out each chapter.
One unique aspect of the book is the reading pattern mentioned in the Introduction, which enables the reader to read through the entire book of Psalms twelve times each year.
Personally, I would have appreciated more time spent exploring the actual Scripture text itself, opening up the passage in terms of background and context. Having said that, the fact remains that author Michelle Howe has provided the reader with the key to fanning the flame of hope, to enable the believer to “keep on keepin’ on.”]
I received this book free of charge in exchange for my open and honest review.
