Pause: Spending Lent with the Psalms

by Elizabeth F. Caldwell

Lent is an ideal time to step back and reflect on the deeper movements of the spirit, and Elizabeth Caldwell helps readers do this through a simple but profound approach. Spending Lent with the Psalms invites us to take up the spiritual practice of encountering, sinking into, and deeply engaging with one psalm each week during Lent and Holy Week.




The season of Lent encourages Christians to consider a different pace—one of slowing down, noticing, pausing—than what our dominant culture values. The invitation to pause with the Psalms begins on Ash Wednesday, starting with a mark of ashes on our foreheads that reminds us that in spite of our failures—things we have done or failed to do—we belong to God. Readers are then guided into an exploration of Psalm 51 and the theme of a clean heart. Each chapter helps readers to connect an image drawn from that psalm, such as paths, faces, blessing, tables, waiting, thanksgiving, listening, being alone or abandoned, and hands, with their own lives. At the close of each chapter, readers are invited to try a different prayer practice to help them continue to reflect on the theme and psalm each day. This intentional engagement—without feeling burdensome—opens just enough space and time for a creative spiritual practice to flourish, sustaining the life of faith during the Lenten season in ways that can make a difference in God’s world.




Reflection and discussion questions are included with each chapter The book includes a leader's guide at the end for study groups. Download more resources for group study, sermon series, and worship services, including illustrated visual aids, at www.wjkbooks.com/Pause.

145 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 2, 2024

Reviews

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Read

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you, Elizabeth F. Caldwell for the opportunity to read your book. This was an incredible read. In this devotional, we spend time reading a passage in the Book of Psalms during each day of Lent and Holy Week. However, I read this book after Lent, and it gave me more insight in how to approach the next Lent season. I am glad that I got to reflect, and recounter God’s Word and just pause in his presence. It gave me lessons and tools that can help my relationship with God. I cannot wait to read more Elizabeth F. Caldwell books. Pause gives Christians hope to experience Lent in a simple but profound way. I am glad that I was able to read this book. Overall, an amazing read.

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not grow up observing the church calendar. It is a practice I came to later in life. I have fully embraced Advent, lighting the candles every night. And the march towards Epiphany, moving the camels every day when no one is watching. But if I observe Lent at all it is casually, even though I am aware there are Christians all over the world for whom Lent is a spiritually rich time and practice. I picked up Pause: Spending Lent with the Psalms by Elizabeth Caldwell in hopes it would enhance my own Lenten practice and I was also looking for a resource I could offer to my community. Thank you to the author, Westminster John Knox Press, and NetGalley for the eARC.

Pause is everything I want in a devotional. In fact, if I have any criticism at all it is that I want more. I would absolutely pick up devotional books for the rest of the church calendar from Caldwell. The format is simple and genius. The author starts with the Psalm traditionally associated with that week of Lent or day of Holy Week. The entire Psalm is presented so the reader understands the context of the portion read in church. Then a section is highlighted and several other translations are provided allowing the reader to dig deeper into the meaning of the passage. The Bible nerd in me loves the use of different translations and the easy to understand explanations of the original words. But how I truly learn is through story and Caldwell includes well-selected narratives to illustrate her points. This combination of academic understanding and personal recollections make the book easy to follow and digest while being challenging enough to be interesting.

The last portion of the book contains a leaders guide which is thorough enough to make organizing a group read and/or discussion effortless - a true gift.

If you are looking for a devotional for Lent, this one gets my stamp of approval. Did I disagree with one or two points? Of course. Did I learn something? Yes! Are there a handful of concepts I am still chewing on days later? Yes, and that is what makes this worth picking up.

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the pages of "Pause" are very deep readings; these are not light-hearted devotions. Some of the readings were a little harder to read, for me personally -- only because you really have to dedicate your time, attention, and perspective to the material to truly grasp its message.

You may be pulling your Bible out to study the topics further. Plenty of scripture is provided in this book. It pulls scripture from many different versions of the Bible, so that you can visibly see the difference between the translations. Sometimes it helps in understanding the meanings of words in scripture to see the variations between multiple translations.

The chapters of "Pause" are to be read once per week of Lent, until the week of Easter. During Holy Week there are multiple chapters.

[Dave Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful choice for anyone wanting a book to guide their way through Lent. It's smart, even academic, but written in a way that makes it extremely accessible. What makes it equally rewarding is the fact that it doesn't demand daily reading, rather it is a single reflection on a single Psalm, pulled from the common Lenten focus, that is meant to be read (about a 10 minute investment), and then re-read throughout the week. It's meant to revisit and to let ruminate, to pause and reflect. To let the passage and the insights to shape the week without the demands of too much expectation.

Inspired me to continue on through the Psalms with Christopher Ashe's The Psalms: A Christ Centered Commentary, and the broader focused How To Read the Psalms.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pause by Elizabeth Caldwell offers an in-depth reflection of a psalm for each week of Lent, as well as for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. She capably explores the historical and theological meaning behind each of the psalms - giving a glimpse of the richness of the psalter. This Lenten book truly allows the reader to pause and reflect deeply on each psalm, and provides helpful spiritual exercises for each reading. Occasionally the author relies too much on commentaries from other authors, but this still demonstrates the fine research that went into this book.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thoughtful study on lent was centered on various Psalms that are part of the lectionary read during Lent. Through these Psalms, Ms. Caldwell brought out the focus on waiting. I liked that she used various translations and paraphrases to help the reader see more deeply into the verses. There is a leader's guide in the back if you wish to do this study as a group. I did part of the study with a group and the rest on my own. I plan to tuck this one back on my shelf and use it again next year during Lent. Highly recommend.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgalley Arc

This is the best book if you are wanting to work on something for the Lenten season. You can work slowly through it, day by day, or work on it all at once. If you need a breathing time during the Lenten season, than this book is for you.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

[Andrea Vrtikapa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at Psalms traditionally read during the time of Lent and the focus of each Psalm as well as a way to keep the focus on that Psalm throughout the week.