The Book of Psalms

Not being a scholar, I cannot review this book appropriately. But I can tell you why I am enjoying it and why I recommend that you read it and use it for reference (or reverence) Alter writes, "What I have aimed at in this translation - inevitably, with imperfect success - is to represent Psalms in a kind of English verse that is readable as poetry yet sounds something like the Hebrew - emulating its rhythms wherever feasible,... Read Full Review

I've been going through a patch of bad health lately. To help ease my way, some friends were kind enough to give me Robert Alter's translations of the Psalms. They didn't know that I'm a fan of Alter's earlier Five Books of Moses translation. I was delighted to receive their gift. I've been reading the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) translations of the psalms for so long that they've become second nature to me. But Alter's... Read Full Review

Update: Jan. 2010 I wrote to Prof. Alter to inquire about any other biblical translations because, quite frankly, his translation (and, Prof. Everett Fox' translation) are some of the most exciting and intriguing books to be published in any genre. Here is Prof. Alter's response: Dear Mr. Lawrence, Many thanks for your enthusiastic response. The next installment of my Bible translations, the Wisdom Books (Job, Qohelet,... Read Full Review

Robert Alter the great master- critic of understanding the Bible as literary text here puts his considerable knowledge of Biblical poetics and translation techniques to use in an effort to capture the compactness, and rhythm of the Hebrew original. Alter's aim is to give us a translation closer to the source than any done before. In doing so he faced many problems one of them of course being the canonical place the 'King James... Read Full Review

Robert Alter's Book of Psalms is an exeptionally rich read into the history and life of each of the Psalms. I have been using it as a comparative study with my more favorite and familiar, Grail translation. The Grail is far and away better for singing and prayer, but the insights Dr. Alter provides, almost line by line, enrich my understanding of other possible meanings, hidden meanings, and the historical background for the... Read Full Review