The Christian Church has had a love-hate relationship with the Book of Psalms: it is supposedly the church's hymn book but every Sunday we select, leave out, bracket certain sections which are not in accordance with the Gospel of Jesus. There are many arcane person and place names as well as theological concepts which often stand in the way of comprehending the Christian message we are trying to communicate. Ideas of revenge, self-righteousness, merit, hatred of enemies, etc. cannot but hinder the effective preaching of the Good News in Jesus Christ. The present rendition, based loosely on the version published in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, attempts to maintain the liturgical feel of the Psalter while, at the same time, purging it of unnecessary baggage. Here is a version of the Psalter which can be prayed, without any reservation, by Christian communities and individuals alike.
