Reflections on the Psalms

By C. S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis’ moving theological work in which he considers the most poetic portions from Scripture and what they tell us about God, the Bible, and faith.

‘We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation’

In this wise and enlightening book, C. S. Lewis examines the Psalms. As Lewis divines the meaning behind these timeless poetic verses, he makes clear their significance in our daily lives, and reminds us of their power to illuminate moments of grace.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Mar 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9780008390259

C. S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a fellow and tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954 when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement.

Reviews for Reflections on the Psalms

[bell7_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best known as the author of the Chronicles of Narnia and several book on Christian apologetics, C.S. Lewis here takes a variety of "reflections" on themes in Psalms, not as an expert but as a companion reading alongside.Each chapter focuses on one aspect of the Psalms, starting with what Lewis considers the hardest ones - vengeance, for example, and cursing - broken down topically in an almost random way. The final three chapters are closely intertwined, discussing "second meanings" when perhaps the author is talking about more than he actually meant and readers are interpreting it differently in literature, Scripture in general, and then finally the Psalms. Though not my favorite Lewis, Psalms is one of my favorite parts of Scripture so it was fun to get an idea of what Lewis thought of these topics (definitely have your own translation with you, as he refers to specific verses throughout often without quoting them or expanding much on them).

[lycomayflower · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoy Lewis's religious writings immensely--something which I always find a bit perplexing since I do not consider myself religious and often have very little or no real understanding of the doctrine or scriptures he is discussing. But he writes about difficult concepts well, and I usually leave his books with some sense that I've understood something I didn't before. Often I get insight into the world from his musings, too (in this book, chapter five sparked some useful thinking about the rampant commercialism of Christmas). There's no doubt that Lewis sometimes comes off super pompous and I often want to smack him upside the head and remind him that not everyone is a white, male, educated, protestant from Britain, but there's worth to be found here if you can accept and see past the fact that he will always sound very much like he's only talking to other people just like him.

[cymrugirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just when I think I've discovered my favorite Jack Lewis book, I go and find another one. This book took me ages to read because I simply did not want it to end. I haven't savored a text like this since reading Hugo's Les Miserables. Like most pieces of art that make a lasting impact on me, this book raised my blood pressure a bit - made me nervous. I have never learned anything from comfort. While I can say that perhaps Lewis and I don't share identical beliefs, he has forced me (by being so incredibly humble) to his perspective. This is, after all, Jack Lewis. If anyone else had suggested some of what Mr. Lewis suggests in this small Bible study, this book quite possibly would never have seen the light of day. But like all good works, this book mades you read it in its entirety - you must let Jack finish his reasons for not equating himself with a fundamentalist - for even, in his own words, envying them - to find at the end of it all a truly fundamental conclusion. But Jack isn't fundamental because he's fundamental, he's fundamental by reason. That might not make a lot of sense to a Lewis outsider, but I believe anyone familiar with his work will know what I mean. Where Paul (an "outsider")is the Jew appealing to the gentile on Mars Hill, Lewis is the gentile who reasons from even further outside the ring to find the same conclusion - to deny that he found it fundamentally - but at heart to be operating from the same fundamental thinking that drives all good theology. That is, he divides what he reads in the Word based on what has been concluded or revealed about the Person of God Himself. That it is a faith conclusion, and it ultimately drives his reasoning. Without giving too much away, I will say that Lewis breaks down his study of the Psalms into brilliant, tidy divisions that give a wholistic view of their pattern and importance rather than dividing them by chronology. While some of his themes have been covered before, he ventures to places I have never seen anyone else go before. His extensive knowledge and background in ancient myths adds a fascinating depth here as he is able at a glance to remark on the differences in these Hebrew mindsets compared with their pagan contemporaries. This added flavor - which highlighted how Jewish texts were completely unique - was one of my favorite things about this book and offered so many rich surprises. Indeed, a lack of understanding in this particular field is why so many Christian scholars miss much of what the Spirit was doing. Jack showed me once again that the Spirit's Poetry is incomparable.While many would be fearful to read Lewis' suggestion that the Psalmist is actually possibly sinning in some of his warmonger type rantings, this notion of dividing what is strictly human from what is strictly God and driving back towards the ultimate question of the Spirit's purpose in preserving whatever has been written is essential to any really strong theological foundation. Lewis steps away from the Book, turns it around several ways - reads it again and again - and sees beauty that I in my more prosaic form of fundamentalism would have failed to see if not forced by a humbler heart than my own. This would be the heart of Jack Lewis. Thank God he was brave enough to make his deepest quandries (those we have all shared in secretly) public. He has, for a few pages, given me a glance behind his eyes and into a mind different than my own - which is the point.I have a different - much larger - much wider - much more beautiful view of the Psalms. Thanks to Jack, they have increased. I have decreased.Good Books don't get much better than that.

[agentx216 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Again, the biggest problem I have with Lewis is that he doesn't apply to same status to some parts of the Bible as he does to other parts like the words of Christ. I think he does a good job at getting people, mostly Western people, to realize that the Psalms aren't written in "their language" but in Hebrew type. However, he sometimes takes to the extremes what to read into them...even after an entire chapter on being careful on not reading into any book things just because you can. Far and above, my biggest slight against Lewis in this book is that if you're going to take God speaking truth in the Gospels than why not Jonah and Genesis? I do not know if Lewis ever revised his thinking on these subjects but he falls from his logic when he ascribes to God the ability, if not to lie then to tell half-truths.

Getting back to Lewis' main point of the book, the reason why I didn't care for this one too much is that he seems to go away from his main point too often. I'm use to Lewis' writing now that I have patience with him. When he tries to make a point, he likes to saunter up to it rather than attack it head on. Here, he starts out ok with some aspects of the Pslams main themes but looses his way about half way in. It was worth the read but definitely not my favorite Lewis book. Final Grade - D