Psalm Basics for Catholics

An excellent short introduction to the book of Psalms. It's part of the Bible that's so familiar, heard at almost every Mass, but one that is confusing. The author makes this book so clear with his insights and explanations.

We learn about the origins of the book and the relationship it has to Christ and the New Testament. While he does not linger on the role the Psalms play in monastic life because the book is for laypeople, he does not ignore it.

The bulk of the book covers an analysis of Psalms itself, by dividing the book into five parts, each with a theme. It's very enlightening and gives shape to reading this important book of the Bible.

I have to say that I love each of John Bergsma’s books that I’ve read.  I was delighted when Ave Maria Press notified me that his latest was available via NetGalley for review.  

If you are like me, you were probably wondering, “How is he going to get a whole book out of those weird little bits we sing between the readings and the stuff you have to wade through while arranging your wedding?”  I almost didn’t read it.  Turns out there’s far more in there than I ever imagined.

To make a long story short, the Psalms contain the whole history and future of Israel, instructions for how, when and why to pray and so much more.  He breaks the Psalms down into five sections that mirror the history of Israel and explains how all the psalms point to and are fulfilled by Jesus.  

You will learn a lot from this book.  The opening is kind of dry, but you will get so much more out of the book if you can make it through the “background lecture”.  The reason I say that is because the English language is so limiting.  Some of the original Hebrew and Aramaic words are hard to translate into English because they have so much more meaning than their English counterparts.  Professor Bergsma does a really good job of helping pull that extra meaning out in Psalm Basics.  

Lastly, he provides some excellent instructions for going through the Psalms for study and prayer.  Be sure to read this if you want to delve deeper into your faith and get more out of the Mass.  It’s a fairly quick read and can be easily broken up into several sessions, which is good for parents with small children.  Trust me 😊

A fascinating, accessible and fun read for anyone, Catholic or not!  AveMariaPress has published several easy-to-read books by John Bergsma and this one focusses on the Psalms.   The Psalms are significant not only because it's the only book of the Bible read at every Mass but also because it's the "most popular poetry collection ever published in the world"!   Bergsma's voice is conversational and friendly ; with cute stick figures and straightforward prose, he describes the books of the Psalms.  I found the inclusion of the figures rather unique and also helpful as I'm a visual learner. Charts and sketches helped clarify this short book's written words.  Bergsma takes difficult concepts and breaks them down. I appreciated his frequent mention of Hebrew words as well.   Bergsma says, ".... this psalm is hard for modern people to understand, so let's work though it".   Thank you for such a comforting and helpful guide to what is for many a misunderstood or overlooked part of our Biblical history, practice or literature, depending on your viewpoint.  I look forward to checking out other works by Bergsma. Thank you!

I have read New Testament Basics for Catholics by John Bergsma and found it to be so well written and so helpful for Catholics that are not use to reading the Bible. I was anxious to read Psalm Basics for Catholics. I was not disappointed. The author has a way of getting to the heart of the Psalms and simplifying them for us Catholics that are sometimes Bible illiterate. I had taken a Bible study course on David and the Psalms so I did have a working knowledge of the Psalms, I liked how the author pointed out the important psalms to read and reread(since there are 150 psalms it was nice to be aware of  the really important ones} and how they relate to our salvation despite being written centuries ago. The author tells the story of the Psalms in simple language and incorporates humor at times. I also liked the end of the book where he incorporates feelings and which psalm to read when you are feeling happy,sad,fearful etc. I have enjoyed hearing this author speak on Catholic Relevant Radio. I plan on re reading this book again as it is so rich in its message. I love the Psalms and Mr Bergsma has given me a greater understanding of them. I highly recommend this book for all  who wish to deepen their knowledge of the Psalms .

This book is well written and an easy to follow guide to the Psalms and how they fit into the story of salvation. More than half of the 150 psalms are attributed to David. God granted to David a covenant that made David son of God and king of the world. God promised a New Covenant after the Babylonian Exile and the Son of David, Jesus Christ, arrived to fulfill those promises. David wrote many "thanksgiving" psalms and these ancient songs are part of the present day Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass.

The Psalms are broken down into five books and the groups are according to the type of psalm.
Book I: psalms 1 - 41 (Weeping and Moaning)
Book II: psalms 42 - 72 (Triumph and Rejoicing)
Book III: psalms 73 - 89 (Descending into Grief)
Book IV: psalms 90 - 105 (Waiting around in Exile)
Book V: psalms 107 - 150 (Praising God for restoring his people from Exile)

I particularly like that the author has stated five "must know" psalms in each of the Books. I have enjoyed this study of the Psalms greatly and I know that it will increase my understanding for the future.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

So glad I found this title!  I've Always enjoyed the psalms, and this book really made it easier to understand them AND appreciate them!  Definitely going to recommend this book to my fellow parishioners and even our bible study group.

Dr. Bergsma has a wonderfully friendly style that conveys both his knowledge of scripture and his love of it. Psalm Basics is easy to read - even without the stick figure memory aids - and understand. From there. Dr. Bergsma suggests, through the text, where to begin reading the psalms and, at the end, how to continue a lifelong engagement with them. His drawings are simple enough to be easily copied and, in that, may be one of their biggest benefits -- that by taking notes (including drawings), the reader is rehearsing the information and making it more their own. All in all, a fine, quick overview of the psalms that combines a historical and liturgical understanding with practical application to the daily life of faith.