“I’ve long been a fan of Jonathan Kline’s line of books on the biblical languages, recommending them to students and using them myself—all with great profit. My favorite thus far has been his A Proverb a Day in Biblical Hebrew, but this latest volume, A Hebrew Reader for the Psalms: 40 Beloved Texts, co-edited with Pete Myers, will no doubt jump to the head of the class. Here one finds a treasure trove of information about forty selected psalms that does exactly what Myers and Kline hope—facilitate an up-close, even intimate experience with the Hebrew text of these remarkable poems. But make no mistake about it: this is not a primer useful only for novices. An amazing amount of thought and research has gone into this volume (the appendix on accents alone is worth the price of the book), ensuring that it will be of great use even to seasoned readers and researchers of the Psalms. I am already praying that Myers and Kline will do the rest of the Psalter . . . soon!”
—Brent A. Strawn, Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law, Duke University
“The biblical Psalms remain some of the most familiar and most beloved poems ever written. Many students of Biblical Hebrew, however, barely read them in the original, since almost always one begins one’s study of the language with prose texts, and then, well, oftentimes, more prose texts. Myers’ and Kline’s self-stated objective ‘is to make the poetry of the Psalter accessible to as wide a range of readers as possible’—a goal which they attain in the most effective manner. The beginning student will make major strides in reading ancient Hebrew poetry, while the advanced student will discover nuggets on every page. The user-friendly presentation only enhances the most pleasurable learning experience.”
—Gary A. Rendsburg, Blanche and Irving Laurie Professor of Jewish History, Rutgers University
“The Psalms are the spiritual backbone of the Old Testament—they were revered in early Judaism and are still revered by Jews today, and they are the most quoted passages of Scripture in the Christian New Testament. Through this book’s deeply pedagogical format, Myers and Kline give the Psalms back to all communities who love these poems, helping beginning and intermediate Hebrew readers access the text with confidence. With selections drawn from genres such as ritual, lament, imprecation, wisdom, and songs of pure praise, this book provides a steady, clear guide to forty beloved psalms—and beyond.”
—Brian R. Doak, Professor of Biblical Studies, George Fox University
“Pete Myers’ and Jonathan Kline’s Hebrew Reader for the Psalms provides far more than its title promises. It presents selections from the Psalter according to one of the most highly regarded Masoretic achievements, the Aleppo Codex. The Hebrew text is beautifully arranged according to its poetic structure, and is accompanied by brief grammatical analysis of most words, particularly facilitating devotional reading. Whoever wants to know more will be glad to find two appendices as well, which describe major features of the Aleppo Codex and provide a detailed description of its Masoretic minutiae that are reflected in the Reader’s structure.”
—Martin Heide, außerplanmäßiger Professor für Semitistik, Philipps-Universität Marburg
“This book is a delight. Pete Myers and Jonathan Kline have produced something that is accessible to readers of every level, inviting all to read and enjoy the Psalms in their original language. The glosses and the morphological apparatus provide welcome reading aids along the way. The structuring of each line according to its Masoretic cantillation is a wonderful feature that simultaneously teaches the accents to the uninitiated and facilitates reading and comprehension. This book is easy to use and is made to be picked up and read. It belongs on the desk or nightstand of anyone who loves Hebrew.”
—Christopher J. Fresch, Lecturer in Biblical Languages and Old Testament, Bible College of South Australia
