A Psalter for Prayer: Pocket Edition

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1. Excellent quality, but publisher's contents is incorrect

   Posted by Unknown on 7th Jan 2021

   I love this Psalter. My only complaint is that the publisher's website currently (Jan 07, 2021) lists the table of contents from the Medium-size Hardcover Edition and did so at the time of purchase as well (Sept 2020)
   
   The actual table of contents of this edition is:
   How the Psalter is to be said Throughout the Whole Year,
   The Seven Bow Beginning,
   Prayers before reading the Psalter,
   The 20 Kathismata,
   Prayers after reading the Psalter,
   The Rite chanted Following the Departure of the soul from the body,
   Reading the Psalter for the Departed,
   The Rite for Singing the Twelve Psalms,
   Appendix: The Numbering of the Psalms
   
   PUBLISHER'S NOTE: We apologize for this data error on our website. We have corrected the Table of Contents and it is accurate as of January 23rd, 2021.

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2. Brilliant in its Conceptualization

   Posted by Fr. Pierre (Blais), ThD on 23rd Nov 2016

   As the Church must keep firmly to its Truth (Christ) and its Tradition (His living Message), this text allows us to manage, in a small but significant way, the onslaughts of contemporary contingenies of life which seek to impinge on prayer life. In this tiny book, it provides a very well executed translation in English conforming to the Septuagint, though not rigid so as to be lyrically prayerful in its chanting or in quiet meditation (as English is not the most chantable of languages). The 'cell' construction of the text allows for 'cell use' - straight reading - by those more inclined to hesychasm; for those priests making house calls (and supply monastics) or 'on the run', it is of a manageable size and if blessed, allows itself to function in the form of a 'breviary' without the need to threaten the integrity and position of the Offices or one's Typikon by attempting to write competing and experimental novel offices. At the same time, for those who rely on prayer books for various reasons, and as is the general norm for the pious among the laity, one can use this Psalter to fill out the Jordanville prayer book or Syndekemos or any of the other English prayer books which have proven themselves over time of their value, in inserting a kathisma where a psalm or portion of a psalm in printed, to fill out a moring or evening prayer format - or after Small Compline add a kathisma to entend prayer into a Vigil (as beginning and ending prayers for doing so are included). It is conveniently sized for commuting, or carrying on one's person throughout the day, or keeping discretely at one's work station and pull it out now and then for even a verse or two when the press of work distracts one from the ever-presence of God. It is cherished as well for its various other possible arrangements of the psalms included; as well as including the often skipped psalm 151 so as to, in a small way, make a tiny but heard statement against false ecumenism. Over all it has been painstakenly well thought out, taking into consideration the whole of the Church, and not just one segment, and multiple needs and obediences and life situations; and it has been kept at a very reasonable price so as to make it very accessible. And lets not forget, that with a small print out of St. Arsenios' Blessing Psalter in hand, it makes for a welcome supplement of the Small Euchologion for employing the psalms for various blessings in very particular situations.
   

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