David's Songs: His Psalms and Their Story - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0803710585 ISBN 13: 9780803710580

Publisher: Dial, 1992

Synopsis

A selection of psalms, retold, chosen because they reflect David's life and faith.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6-- Psalms has long been a cherished part of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Images and phrases from the book permeate our deepest culture. Sadly, this treasure is known to fewer and fewer children. From its wealth, Eisler has selected the psalms he judges to ``share the same strong sound.'' (The subjective and unargued assertion that this sound signals David's authorship is one of several weaknesses in the introduction.) The excerpts are slightly ``retold,'' but the results are close to (and often better than) the New English Bible. The subtle use of alliteration, for example, recalls other archaic verse. Not as vulgarly ver nacular as some paraphrases, but more immediate and idiomatic than most translations, Eisner's versions should please all but the most rigid purists. And even they may be won over by Jerry Pinkney's remarkable watercolors. Airy and light-dappled, but bold and voluminous, these detailed, realistic pictures combine delicacy and strength. Portraits, animal studies, landscapes, action scenes, all are as varied, sensitive, and life-encompassing as the poetic riches found within the Psalms. --Patricia Dooley, Univ . of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews:

Though David's connection with many Psalms is tenuous, Eisler, an art historian, links together several dozen extracts that ``share the same strong sound'' and express the vision, faith, and humanity of a great leader. The editor gives each passage an explanatory introduction, draws from several versions of the Bible, and simplifies the language considerably: Ps. 73:7-9, ``Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly...'' (King James) becomes: ``Their eyes are set in folds of fat./Whatever they say is mean and nasty./How could they get so rich/when they are so bad?'' Though sometimes only tangentially related to the texts, Pinkney's full-page paintings add their usual measure of dappled dignity to this handsome, earnest introduction. (Poetry. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dial
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0803710585
• ISBN 13: 9780803710580
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 64
• Editor: Eisler Colin
• Illustrator: Pinkney Jerry