The Beautiful Language of the Psalms: The Bible as Literature

For years I used to begin each day reading a chapter from the Book of Proverbs. If it were the 4th, I would read chapter four; if the 17th, chapter 17. Proverbs has 31 days so six times a year you will read that chapter with its long epilogue about the wife of noble character. The wisdom contained in these passages never grows old, nor out of date.

This past year I have been reading a psalm each morning. As a writer I am frequently--and I mean frequently--in awe at the beautiful imagery and vivid language of this book. The words, penned 3,000 years ago, routinely describe emotions we feel and situations we're in today. Psalm 73, for example, begins as a lament at how unfair it is that the one percenters can be so happy and carefree, bedecked with jewels, never having a pang of guilt about their behavior. The writer complains, in effect, "Why did I play by the rules? What's the point in doing good when these people get rewarded for doing whatever they want."

When my brother was in school at WVU in the 70s, he took a class titled The Bible As Literature. I considered this an intriguing way to approach the Bible. Even if you are not religious, becoming familiar with one of the world's most influential books has merit. Much like studying Shakespeare, there's plenty that will surprise you, especially when you become aware of how many sayings that are still part of our lives have their origins there. 

The trigger for this blog post was my reading this morning of Psalm 104. I found the metaphors and similes quite fascinating. Here are the first lines, to illustrate.

Psalm 104

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Lord my God, you are very great;

    you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

2 

The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment;
    he stretches out the heavens like a tent

3 

    and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
    and rides on the wings of the wind.

4 

He makes winds his messengers,
    flames of fire his servants.

5 

He set the earth on its foundations;
    it can never be moved.

6 

You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
    the waters stood above the mountains.

7 

But at your rebuke the waters fled,
    at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;

8 

they flowed over the mountains,
    they went down into the valleys,
    to the place you assigned for them.

9 

You set a boundary they cannot cross;
    never again will they cover the earth.

You can read the rest here.

Throughout history people have found comfort in the Psalms during times of upheaval and distress, in times like these.

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RELATED

A Book of Grace

If your family has a standard ritual prayer that you say when giving thanks before meals, there are only so many times you can do that before it becomes a stale rote thing you do with no flavor left, like overchewed gum. Growing up we said, "God is great, God is good, and we thank Him for our food. Amen." 

On the positive side of the ledger, at least there was some kind of order to the dinner ritual. We didn't just sit down and start grabbing food. I do think a pause to express gratitude can have value. 

In 2002 local writers Margi Preus and Ann Treacy published a short collection of sayings, reflections and prayers from various cultures around the world and through history. The book is subtitled Words to Bring You Peace. 

The authors share thought-provoking expressions of gratitude from literary, historical, cultural, tribal and other sources, Celtic to Cheyenne, Confucius to Victor Hugo, from India to Zaire, Martin Luther to the Helen Keller.

The prayerful thoughts are assembled thematically from Grace and Courage to Generosity and Love. Even though only one chapter is titled Grace Before Meals, Susie and I have been reading one each evening before meals the last six months and have enjoyed it many times over. 

If you're here in the Northland, you can support our local bookstores (Zenith Bookstore is our favorite, and they will order it if it is not in stock) or you can find it here on Amazon.

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"Let us know peace.
For as long as the moon shall rise
For as long as the rivers shall flow
For as long as the sun shall shine
For as long as the grass shall grow
Let us know peace." —Cheyenne

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Photo at top of page: Gary Firstenberg

Author Margi Preus talks about her Clue in the Trees and the Writing Life

I've enjoyed watching the evolution of Margi Preus' writing career for more than three decades. While attending a few arts events before Christmas I saw her setting up for a book signing at the Bookstore at Fitgers. An award-winning author of numerous titles in several genres, her latest is The Clue in the Trees. Recommending books seems like a good way to kick off the new year. There are always too many books, and so little time.

EN: You have always been writing. When did you first feel serious about writing as a career? How did that happen?

Margi Preus: I was interested in writing as a career ever since I read Harriet the Spy in 5th grade. I probably didn't take it seriously until graduate school, when I studied writing first at U of Iowa and then at Binghamton University with John Gardner. At that time, I intended to be a fiction writer for grown ups. Unfortunately, even I wasn’t a grown up at that time. 

EN: I remember seeing one of your short stories in an anthology of Minnesota writers around the mid-80's. How did writing short stories contribute to your development as a Young Adult fiction writer?

MP: That’s what we did in graduate writing programs—write short fiction. I think that’s what they still do, generally—because it’s short and the teacher can read them all and grade them. (I speak from experience since I have also taught in graduate writing programs). Short fiction is an excellent teacher—you learn to economize, which is good for MG or YA writing where you don’t want to digress too much or lose your reader, and you learn to find the beating heart of the story—which you still have to do even in a sprawly novel.

Any kind of writing, though, informs any other kind of writing. I'm also learned a lot from writing sketch comedy and directing theater, and also from just about everything. 

EN: Your current book is called The Clue in the Trees. What's the premise and where did you get the idea for this one? 

MP: The Clue in the Trees is the second in a mystery series for young readers. The protagonist Francie Frye is a kind of “Northwoods Nancy Drew” but with murder (the non-bloody kind). I started writing the series on the screen porch of our cabin one summer when there was a big fight going on about a road. There was so much animosity I started wondering what would happen if my neighbors started killing each other. Kind of went from there. That was book one. This is book two-- so I’ll just say someone is murdered and it looks like Francie’s brother is the prime suspect. That is, until Francie herself becomes a suspect. Looks like Francie is walking on thin ice . . . but it isn’t until she is literally walking on thin ice that the pieces start to come together, but by then it might be too late. . . (sound like jacket copy? It kind of is.)

EN: What's the key takeaway hidden in the story?

MP: Giant muskies, nuisance bears, poisoned hot dishes, exploding bulldozers, hidden trap doors, underground tunnels, old gold mines, new pipelines, bones, and, of course, murder. Kind of typical northern Minnesota lake life.

EN: For many years you wrote sketches for Colder By The Lake Theater. I'm guessing this also was part of your learning curve as a writer.

MP: Yes, as aforementioned.

Preus won a Newbery Honor Award
with this bestseller.

EN: What's the difference between writing for an audience and a reader whose expressions you can't yourself read?

MP: That’s an interesting question. As a theater director I spent a lot of time watching the audience at shows I directed to see how they reacted to things. We would change things from night to night based on audience response. Now I only know how young readers react after the book is out (sometimes I ask people to read drafts, of course.) Sometimes I am surprised by reader responses. I’m always surprised when they like it! But I’ve also been surprised by what some people have told me they thought was scary, or “dark,” or funny.

EN: What was it like writing your first Young Adult novel?

MP: I did not know that’s what I was doing while I was doing it. Also, my publisher thinks I write for Middle Grade, btw (the next level down from YA), although my books are sometimes shelved in YA (and sometimes both YA and MG—I”m all for that.) But the first novel was such a challenge it was all I could do to just get the story down without worrying about who was going to read it. I assumed no one would, actually.

EN: You've also published three picture books. What's the timeline for these various projects? 

MP: Picture books can take longer than novels or chapter books because you’ve got an illustrator in the mix (if you’re not the author/illustrator, which I’m not). So the illustrator has to have room in his/her schedule and be given a goodly amount of time—up to a year, I’d say—to create the illustrations. I think it depends on the publisher etc. how long.

These days, some publishers (like Amulet/Abrams who publishes my historical fiction) like to put out advance reader copies many months in advance. This is supposed to promote “buzz” and get the reviews out there, and get librarians fired up and so on. But what happens is that by the time your book is actually for sale in stores you’ve forgotten what it’s about. To writers out there who haven’t yet been through this, and think that once they sell a manuscript they will shortly see it in print—that is unlikely (unless you self-publish, I suppose). You write it, and if you are so fortunate to sell it quickly you are still going to have to revise it, and then revise it some more (this can go on for months or years), then the managing editor has at it, then the copy editor—you may see six or more passes of your novel for picky edits THAT CAN MAKE YOUR NOVEL SO MUCH BETTER so just be thankful for it even though it is painful at the time. What I”m saying is, if you want a good novel, be grateful for the help even though it can make you want to throw the whole thing in a snowbank. Make sure you love your subject matter so much that you won’t do this.

EN: Have you been carried through by the same publisher? Who should we give a shout out to? 

MP: Amulet Books (Abrams) has published all my historical fiction novels. UMN Press publishes my mysteries, and I have picture books out by Holt/Macmillan, Houghton-Mifflin, MNHS Press, and a new chapter book coming from Margaret Ferguson Books, an imprint of Holiday House.

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With this arctic weather hovering about the continent right now, it's a good time to curl up with a book. For a complete presentation of Margi's books in print, visit her website at www.margipreus.com/ 


Happy New Year.