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The Shield of Psalmic Prayer
From the back cover: In this posthumous collection of poet and teacher Donald Sheehan's reflections on Psalms and psalmic prayer, culled from his journals and teaching notes, you will find two quite different kinds of writing working in tandem: poetic and personal journaling by a man of faith, a scholar, a linguist, and, in the deepest sense, a teacher; alongside scholarly linguistic and poetic analysis by a man steeped in poetry who thought like a poet.
364 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 5, 2020
Sheehan's book is a very personal reflection on the Psalms. Written by a man with the education to be a scholar, the book is very scholarly. I know nothing about Sheehan and so am not enamored by his personal reflections. He holds very strong beliefs about Orthodoxy and the scripture, some of which I'm skeptical of, so I found myself not always able to suspend my judgment to hear him out. For him it seems always essential that Orthodoxy alone has the right opinion on topics. So, by example, he is totally convinced that the Septuagint is the best and essential translation of the Pslams, though he also reads Hebrew. He sees the Septuagint as even superior to whatever version of Hebrew it was translated from. I don't see any reason to have to have the perfect text to begin with, and assume that God is wise enough to use all languages to convey God's truth. No one language is better able to convey the revelation of God since God's revelation is still beyond any human language. We get glimpses and insights from God and into God, but these are all and always limited by the language used to convey them.
June 18, 2020
This is an intensely deep analysis of the Psalms as told through the essays, notes, and journals of an Orthodox translator and lover of language and poetry, compiled by his wife after his death and recently published. I cannot begin to describe the genius of this man who obviously loved God, loved Scripture, loved language, and absolutely reveled in the place where all of those things meet: in translating the Psalms. He prayed through the entire Psalter every week for years, and it shows i his writing. He understands them intimately! In this book is not just a commentary and analysis of the Psalms but on life in general, for he found true life to be defined in the Psalms, using them as a way to discover more about God, history, and ourselves.
This book is not for the casual reader. It is highly technical at times, exploring the details of translating Hebrew and Greek as well as grammar and the patterns of poetics in a way that is very dense and scholarly. But there is a passion to it which you can feel, and even when you can't always follow the amazing leaps of logic that the author gives, you walk away edified and feeling closer to God.
I've found myself inspired to follow his example and start reading the Psalter more regularly. I absolutely loved his explanations of chiasm and reading the Psalms with that in mind. I'd learned about chiastic verse in college, but never how to really apply it to understanding the Psalms or even viewing life, history, and the incarnation of Christ in that way! It all connects so beautifully. I also loved his definitions of the 9 LXX words for "law" found in the Psalms, and especially his explanation of "statutes" and seeing God's unchangeable pattern in all of creation. Wow! So much to chew on. I feel as though my perspective on God and the world has changed. I've walked away feeling more of God's love, as if a bit of the author's own love and understanding of Him has washed off on me.
I would recommend this to any student of language, literature, Scripture, or translation. It's heavy but profound and definitely adds a new dimension to reading the Psalms. If you feel you've hit a wall when it comes to your study of Psalms, give this book a try. This author will help you to see so much more.
This book is not for the casual reader. It is highly technical at times, exploring the details of translating Hebrew and Greek as well as grammar and the patterns of poetics in a way that is very dense and scholarly. But there is a passion to it which you can feel, and even when you can't always follow the amazing leaps of logic that the author gives, you walk away edified and feeling closer to God.
I've found myself inspired to follow his example and start reading the Psalter more regularly. I absolutely loved his explanations of chiasm and reading the Psalms with that in mind. I'd learned about chiastic verse in college, but never how to really apply it to understanding the Psalms or even viewing life, history, and the incarnation of Christ in that way! It all connects so beautifully. I also loved his definitions of the 9 LXX words for "law" found in the Psalms, and especially his explanation of "statutes" and seeing God's unchangeable pattern in all of creation. Wow! So much to chew on. I feel as though my perspective on God and the world has changed. I've walked away feeling more of God's love, as if a bit of the author's own love and understanding of Him has washed off on me.
I would recommend this to any student of language, literature, Scripture, or translation. It's heavy but profound and definitely adds a new dimension to reading the Psalms. If you feel you've hit a wall when it comes to your study of Psalms, give this book a try. This author will help you to see so much more.
July 18, 2020
Donald Sheehan was a man who deeply loved God, language, and the Psalm and this book is a testament to that. This book, released posthumously, is an examination and exploration of finding God and our personhood at the intersection of language, translation, and theology in the psalms. Sheehan dedicated his life not only to praying to the psalms but translating them and drawing out what can be found through that process.
Throughout this work the author helps the reader understand that the Psalm are the words and life of Christ. Furthermore by allowing the psalms to enter into us as we enter into them through prayer we change and become more Christlike. For instance, he talks about the nine different words for law that are used in Hebrew and Greek and how the connotation of each of the words shows us the path for our salvation.
On a personal note Sheehan talks about his struggle with depression and as someone who has struggled with depression I found his interpretation of affliction in Psalm101 moving. He says that when the psalmist talks about being afflicted they are referring to a form of depression that is distinctly spiritual in nature because it makes us identify who we are with how we are. In truth when we remember that all our strength lies in God and our only weapon is crying out to him to save us. I never considered my depression in that way before and yet when he talks about it it’s so clear.
To conclude I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to more deeply understand the Psalms and how Gods word speaks to us. I know that I plan to begin praying the Psalms because if this. Thank you Xenia for sharing your husbands words with us and may Donald’s memory be eternal.
Throughout this work the author helps the reader understand that the Psalm are the words and life of Christ. Furthermore by allowing the psalms to enter into us as we enter into them through prayer we change and become more Christlike. For instance, he talks about the nine different words for law that are used in Hebrew and Greek and how the connotation of each of the words shows us the path for our salvation.
On a personal note Sheehan talks about his struggle with depression and as someone who has struggled with depression I found his interpretation of affliction in Psalm101 moving. He says that when the psalmist talks about being afflicted they are referring to a form of depression that is distinctly spiritual in nature because it makes us identify who we are with how we are. In truth when we remember that all our strength lies in God and our only weapon is crying out to him to save us. I never considered my depression in that way before and yet when he talks about it it’s so clear.
To conclude I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to more deeply understand the Psalms and how Gods word speaks to us. I know that I plan to begin praying the Psalms because if this. Thank you Xenia for sharing your husbands words with us and may Donald’s memory be eternal.
August 19, 2020
The Shield of Psalmic Prayer: Reflections on Translating, Interpreting, and Praying the Psalter by Donald Sheehan
and
The Psalms of David: Translated from the Septuagint Greek by Donald Sheehan
I'm a bit bewildered to even know where to begin, talking about these two books. Don Sheehan was a serious teacher on poetry, the director of the Frost Place in Franconia, NH, and taught at such prestigious universities as University of Chicago and Dartmouth. He was a convert to the Orthodox Church, prayed the entire Book of Psalms each week. He passed away in 2010, and the book "Shield of Psalmic Prayer" was compiled by his widow.
His translation of the Psalms is beautiful. Here are a couple of examples, first from the KJV, and then his, to stack him up against what is considered the most poetic of English translations:
Psalm 4:4
KJV:
"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah."
Sheehan:
"Have anger, but do not sin, commune with your own heart on your bed and become still in your sorrow. Selah."
Psalm 51:17/50:17 LXX
KJV:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."
Sheehan:
"A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not count as nothing."
Maybe it's that he is a more contemporary author so speaks more directly to my modern ear, but I give the points to him in both poetry and accessibility of meaning. I've been praying the Psalms all summer, using this translation, and have found this translation to be very clear.
The Shield of Pslamic Prayer is hard to describe. His widow compiled this book after Donald died, from his notes and essays. Some of early sections are collections of aphorisms and poetic musings, while later chapters read more consistently like the lecture notes of a favourite professor. These are his thoughts on the Psalms, on praying them, on translating, and on being transformed by them.
He was obviously incredibly bright and a deep thinker- that comes right across in the pages. Translating the LXX version of the Pslams requires the translator to be familiar with both the Greek text as well as the later Hebrew. His analysis that drives his translation was often dictated by his playing back and forth across the three languages. He also regularly references Midrashic analysis of the Psalms he is discussing.
He was obviously incredibly bright, a deep thinker, and prayerful- that comes right across in the pages. Translating the LXX version of the Pslams requires the translator to be familiar with both the Greek text as well as the later Hebrew. His analysis that drives his translation was often dictated by his playing back and forth across the three languages. He also regularly references Midrashic analysis of the Psalms he is discussing.
Here is my big take away: Praying the Psalms is transformative. Sheehan struggled with depression, and he talks about it, here. He says "Biblical meditation doesn't smooth out the anxieties; it deepens them into God." That we confront in our weakness our very truest selves, and at that very point can turn and find God and be transformed. It is a true Metanoia- a realignment of our spiritual selves away from our own selfishness and in tune with the commandments and songs of God. We meet Christ Himself in the Psalms, and in taking them in to ourselves in praying them, we are transformed in Christ by the Psalms.
To be honest, this book had me floundering fairly regularly. But it's good to read books that toss you into the deep end of the pool - you'll swim to the side and grab hold of the railing, sputtering, but when you reflect back on it after a while, you'll start to piece together in your own mind that material that you felt like was going to overwhelm you at the time. I'll be coming back to this book, probably in a year, and then again after that. He has a lot to say, and I didn't even begin to scratch the surface on this my first read.
and
The Psalms of David: Translated from the Septuagint Greek by Donald Sheehan
I'm a bit bewildered to even know where to begin, talking about these two books. Don Sheehan was a serious teacher on poetry, the director of the Frost Place in Franconia, NH, and taught at such prestigious universities as University of Chicago and Dartmouth. He was a convert to the Orthodox Church, prayed the entire Book of Psalms each week. He passed away in 2010, and the book "Shield of Psalmic Prayer" was compiled by his widow.
His translation of the Psalms is beautiful. Here are a couple of examples, first from the KJV, and then his, to stack him up against what is considered the most poetic of English translations:
Psalm 4:4
KJV:
"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah."
Sheehan:
"Have anger, but do not sin, commune with your own heart on your bed and become still in your sorrow. Selah."
Psalm 51:17/50:17 LXX
KJV:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."
Sheehan:
"A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not count as nothing."
Maybe it's that he is a more contemporary author so speaks more directly to my modern ear, but I give the points to him in both poetry and accessibility of meaning. I've been praying the Psalms all summer, using this translation, and have found this translation to be very clear.
The Shield of Pslamic Prayer is hard to describe. His widow compiled this book after Donald died, from his notes and essays. Some of early sections are collections of aphorisms and poetic musings, while later chapters read more consistently like the lecture notes of a favourite professor. These are his thoughts on the Psalms, on praying them, on translating, and on being transformed by them.
He was obviously incredibly bright and a deep thinker- that comes right across in the pages. Translating the LXX version of the Pslams requires the translator to be familiar with both the Greek text as well as the later Hebrew. His analysis that drives his translation was often dictated by his playing back and forth across the three languages. He also regularly references Midrashic analysis of the Psalms he is discussing.
He was obviously incredibly bright, a deep thinker, and prayerful- that comes right across in the pages. Translating the LXX version of the Pslams requires the translator to be familiar with both the Greek text as well as the later Hebrew. His analysis that drives his translation was often dictated by his playing back and forth across the three languages. He also regularly references Midrashic analysis of the Psalms he is discussing.
Here is my big take away: Praying the Psalms is transformative. Sheehan struggled with depression, and he talks about it, here. He says "Biblical meditation doesn't smooth out the anxieties; it deepens them into God." That we confront in our weakness our very truest selves, and at that very point can turn and find God and be transformed. It is a true Metanoia- a realignment of our spiritual selves away from our own selfishness and in tune with the commandments and songs of God. We meet Christ Himself in the Psalms, and in taking them in to ourselves in praying them, we are transformed in Christ by the Psalms.
To be honest, this book had me floundering fairly regularly. But it's good to read books that toss you into the deep end of the pool - you'll swim to the side and grab hold of the railing, sputtering, but when you reflect back on it after a while, you'll start to piece together in your own mind that material that you felt like was going to overwhelm you at the time. I'll be coming back to this book, probably in a year, and then again after that. He has a lot to say, and I didn't even begin to scratch the surface on this my first read.
July 24, 2020
“Simply begin”. This is the challenge that the author, Donald Sheehan, gives us to heal our sin sickness, dis-ease, and slavery to the evil one by embarking on daily Psalmic meditation and prayer. We are in a spiritual battle that takes its toll on our bodies and our minds as well as our souls. Praying the Psalter provides us with the shield to defend ourselves against constant attack. Sheehan doesn’t tell us to do more than we are able but just to take that first step; begin at Psalm 1 and continue each day until Psalm 150. Start again.
When this book arrived, I had been praying for something to inform my reading of the Psalms. Glory to God for this gift! I soon discovered that this is not a book which must be read in a linear fashion, unless that is your choice. Conversations don’t tend to be linear. Reading this book is like sitting at the feet of the master (teacher) and having a delightful, engaging, and intellectually challenging conversation.
If the news or social media posts get you down, this book will help you find a defense to such daily attacks. Perhaps, as I did, you want to understand the placement of Psalm 118 in the Matins of Holy Saturday, how it is a poem of “noetic healing”, and how the nine words for ‘law’ constitute an “entire system of spiritual life-givingness”. You will find the answers in Chapter 11, The Asymmetry of His Immeasurable Love: Psalm 118’s Nine Words, the Lamed-Stanza, and the Defeat of Depression. If you enjoy exploring the Hebrew and/or Greek meanings of words in the Psalmic lexicon, then you will find a treasure here.
If, on the other hand, you are not a fan of ‘big words’ don’t let this turn you away from this well of healing water. There is a glossary to guide you and make any murky, linguistic waters appear crystal clear.
This is not a book to be read once. Each reading will bring forth new growth. It will engage the reader in lifelong conversation, meditation, and prayer. “Simply begin”.
When this book arrived, I had been praying for something to inform my reading of the Psalms. Glory to God for this gift! I soon discovered that this is not a book which must be read in a linear fashion, unless that is your choice. Conversations don’t tend to be linear. Reading this book is like sitting at the feet of the master (teacher) and having a delightful, engaging, and intellectually challenging conversation.
If the news or social media posts get you down, this book will help you find a defense to such daily attacks. Perhaps, as I did, you want to understand the placement of Psalm 118 in the Matins of Holy Saturday, how it is a poem of “noetic healing”, and how the nine words for ‘law’ constitute an “entire system of spiritual life-givingness”. You will find the answers in Chapter 11, The Asymmetry of His Immeasurable Love: Psalm 118’s Nine Words, the Lamed-Stanza, and the Defeat of Depression. If you enjoy exploring the Hebrew and/or Greek meanings of words in the Psalmic lexicon, then you will find a treasure here.
If, on the other hand, you are not a fan of ‘big words’ don’t let this turn you away from this well of healing water. There is a glossary to guide you and make any murky, linguistic waters appear crystal clear.
This is not a book to be read once. Each reading will bring forth new growth. It will engage the reader in lifelong conversation, meditation, and prayer. “Simply begin”.
September 8, 2020
This book is truly amazing. It is challenging, thought provoking, beautiful, exhausting, encouraging, enlightening and educational. It doesn't take long for you to understand just how much the author loves God and His Word. His love and enthusiasm for the Psalms is most memorable and his ability to share how deeply they ordered his life and his understanding of life with and in God especially through the lens of the Orthodox Church was engaging. Buried throughout are so many insights and explanations. At times the information was overwhelming especially to those who are new to chiastic poetry, or the concept of salvific psalms or psalmic poetics. There were times I felt I was reading a textbook for Psalms 201 without the benefit of having been taught Psalms 101 but this did not deter me from leaning into his careful instruction and deep explanations. Many thanks to the editor for including definitions, glossaries and a notes section. (I kept a bookmark in the notes section and read practically every explanatory note that was provided). I would recommend this for anyone looking for a thoughtful and deep perspective on reading the Psalms.
September 27, 2020
Pray. Pray the Psalter everyday, pray that I, we ,may pray the psalter as Don did. It comes through his way of relating the Psalms in his writings. Become one with Christ in the Church! Thank you Don the blessed!
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