I love the Psalms. It’s a beautiful book of poetry. It’s great for reading, studying, and singing. However, it wasn’t written in English, and we think of poetry and songs differently than the way the Psalms were translated. In Hebrew, it’s more popular to rhyme the thoughts rather than the words (oversimplifying, but hopefully that makes the point). The Book of Psalms in Rhyme by Brendan Conboy is the entire book of Psalms rewritten in order to rhyme. This makes it more poetic when reading. It sounds great when read aloud and they’re easier to sing.
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This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Book Construction
The Book of Psalms in Rhyme is a glued paperback edition, printed in Great Britain by Amazon. It has a full-color cover that’s textured. The paper is extra-thick. It’s white with a slightly blueish tint that’s only noticeable in the gutter. It’s highly opaque and great for reading. On the back is a short description that tells the purpose of the book and a prayer from the author to bless anyone that hears or reads this book. The overall size is 5 x 8 x 5/8″. This is a good size for travel and reading.
Book Introduction
A detailed introduction explains their development and purpose, including the author’s story with setbacks and blessings. I can relate to the story that someone told him authors have to write 3600 words per hour and he was discouraged by this. I have a similar situation (unfortunately, it was from my own assumptions). He later did his own research (something I’ve learned the hard way to do) and found that most authors write 1000 words per day. As someone who writes articles for clients for a living, I can verify this number is accurate. I enjoyed reading his story.
Psalms in Rhyme
The Psalms have been rewritten by the author to make them rhyme and give them rhythm. They are not intended to take the place of Scripture, but it is great for devotional reading and singing. They’re presented in stanzas. The individual lines are divided well. Many have spaces between sections to divide the thoughts even further. Each includes a title and section headings throughout the Psalm. An index in the front gives the page number for each Psalm.
Some of the Psalms are broken into multiple parts. Some include prompts to pause in God’s presence. They also include the original headings and chapter and verse numbers. The Psalms in Rhyme are done well and they’re a joy to read. They’re tasteful and the approach is reverent. Conboy obviously knows what he’s doing when handling Scripture.
You can read a sample by viewing the Kindle version at Amazon.
Author’s Callouts
Several pages include a special section with thoughts from the author. They’re placed within a box so they stand apart. They’re insightful and provide encouragement. There are only a few. I wouldn’t mind if there were more.
Illustrations
Every few pages have an illustration that corresponds to something on the page. The illustrations are by Grant Harman. The Illustrations are cartoon drawings that help with the visual setting and include text. They’re well-drawn and fun to look for. They look like those you’d see in kid’s books. I like them a lot and I’d like to see even more of them.
Hear it Read
Here’s a video series from Brendan Conboy reading from The Book of Psalms in Rhyme.
Conclusion
The Book of Psalms in Rhyme is an interesting way to read and sing the Psalms. They flow well. I enjoyed reading them, and I also enjoyed the illustrations, seeing the insights, and reading the author’s story and how this book came about. As the author points out, it doesn’t take the place of Scripture, but it is a fun way to read and sing the Psalms. It also makes a good devotional. You can learn more about Brendan Conboy and see his books on his website.
Purchase from Amazon in paperback or Kindle (affiliate)
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.