L. L. Larkins

This book is the fifth installment in this series and covers Psalms 107-150. Each Psalm is written out along with the tune to sing it to and who it was written by along with when it was written. It is a book meant to be sung and deeply interacted with by the reader. Our family is Primitive Baptist, and we sing A Capella, so this book touched my soul since many of our songs come directly from the Bible.

I believe God wants us to sing with a joyful noise rather than a perfect sound. So I enjoyed this book and the idea of singing it out loud. So if you enjoy the book of Psalms and love to sing, check out this book for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.… (más)

Music speaks to the soul. Usually it is easier to memorize the lyrics of a song than it is to try to recite a poem or other work of literature. The rhythm and notes connect with our ears and our emotions in a unique way, engaging us on a deep level. I think that this is part of why the psalms are among the most popular books of the Bible; the raw emotion and lyrical language are universal. Often I will make up my own words to hymns and praise songs, making them into an even more personal type of prayer.

Approaching the Psalm Hymns series, though, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I actually read Volumes 1 & 2 first and appreciated L.L. Larkins’ introductory note, which does not seem to be included in the later volumes, at least not in the eBook copy that I received. Progressing chronologically, “Psalm Hymns Volume Five, Psalms 107-150” contains a paraphrased rendition of Scripture written to coordinate with a Christian hymn. Each psalm lists the authorship and background as you would find it in the Bible, followed by the author of the tune to which it is set or the tune’s original name and date. Larkins kindly spaces the text to allow for musical notation should the reader be so inclined, and her variations on the wording of the psalms seems to align well with Scripture, based on the ones that I looked up at random. My favorites from this volume are Psalm 116, a hymn of exaltation set to “Joy to the World”; psalm 130, a psalm of ascents to be sung to “My Faith Looks Up to Thee”; and psalm 149, a song of joy and praise employing Beethoven’s “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.”

There are quite a few hymns that I was not familiar with, which did make it difficult for me to fully appreciate and make the connection with some of the psalms. I am not sure if this is because I belong to the younger generation and much of the focus has been on contemporary worship songs, or if the hymns themselves are obscure. As the author notes, however, you can apply more than one song to these hymns. In some cases, the lyrics did seem to stretch the tune’s rhythm and timing too much, becoming a bit cumbersome and unwieldy. Overall, however, I very much enjoyed this collection and think that it is a unique but natural way to incorporate both the psalms and traditional hymns into our personal and communal worship experience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.… (más)

This is a very different look at the book of Psalm. I have always liked to read Psalm because it has such wisdom and encouragement in the scriptures. The author gives us songs to use as we go through each Psalm included in the book. There are some old hymns that I remember from my childhood which I miss hearing. Now I like contemporary Christian music but there is nothing like an old hymn that brings me peace.

I did try to sing some of the songs as I went through the book, but I lack the ability to carry a tune or even find the right pitch. It does not matter that I was off key because I sang with my whole heart. Not every Psalm is easy to read or sing because sone of them are cries to Jesus for help or even a bit of bitterness and anger. What I liked was going through each one and soaking in His Word and being reminded of His goodness. I would love to see this book and the others the author has written as a bible study. People in the group could take a Psalm or even a few of the verses and say them aloud. This opens the door for discussion about what was just read.

It is nice that the author gives us songs to use but for me I just enjoyed reading the book and getting filled with His Word. Sometimes I forget that there are many chapters in Psalm and with this book I can easily go to one and study it.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.… (más)

This is a wonderful resource that combines two of my favorite things, Psalms from God’s Word and music. In this fifth and final volume of “Psalm Hymns” by L. L. Larkins. It includes Psalms 107-150. Using different translations of the Bible, she suggests using the tunes of hymns, some well-known and others not so well-known, to sing each Psalm. A few of hymns are: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” “The Love of God,” and “My Jesus I Love Thee.”

I highly recommend this volume, as well as the other four. Use it in your personal devotions or with other Christ-followers and sing the Psalms together.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing from L. L. Larkins. I was not required to provide a positive review. Thoughts in “My Two Cents” are my own opinion.… (más)