The Prayerbook of the King:  the Psalms  Author: Msgr. Charles Dollen  ISBN:0-8189-0751-7  Paperback: x + 308 pp.  Price: $16.95 + shipping  To order call:  1 800-343-ALBA (2522)  (please have your  Master or Visa Card ready)  To order online click here.		The Prayerbook of the King: The Psalms is a pastoral reflection on the meaning, nature and importance of the Psalms in the spiritual life of the believer. Useful for private meditation and enjoyment and helpful in the preparation of homilies, this book explains each of the 150 psalms in a popular style easily accessible to the average layperson. After completing this book the spiritual life of the reader will be a little closer to that of Jesus who at home and in synagogue prayed, meditated on and absorbed the power, the consolation and the wisdom of these prayers of David.

 

Msgr. Charles. J. Dollen (d. 1998), former pastor of St. Gabriel Church, Poway, California and well-known and highly esteemed past contributing editor and columnist for the Priest magazine, also edited the highly acclaimed abridged editions of St. Alphonsus Liguori's classic works, The Holy Eucharist (Alba House, 1994) and the Glories of Mary (Alba House, 1990).  Reviews "A little help with the Psalms: This new book of commentary on each of the Psalms from the editor/writer, Msgr. Charles Dollen, provides sequential commentaries, covering the Psalms gathered into 5 books. [Commentaries] are provided by the author and other contemporary writers, but also stem from the writings of the saints, Fathers of the Church, and others. Cited by the author: The Psalms (majority attributed to David) offer 2000 years of wisdom in understanding human values; they were also the basis of prayer which informed the spirituality of Jesus learned at home with Mary and Joseph as well as in the synagogue. Indices cover subject and biblical references as well as authors cited. --Crux of the News , April 27, 1998  "This is a book of interpretation that resembles midrash rather than one of analysis that is critical. It does not attempt to discover what the psalms originally meant, but what they might mean to us today. The relatively short meditations that accompany each of the one hundred fifty psalms of the Psalter all profess an explicit Christological devotion that moves beyond the respective psalm in a way that midrash might. These are reflections that draw their inspiration from many different sources, such as personal experience, ancient and modern poets, Jewish masters, and Christian classics. Since the biblical text is not given, it will have to be supplied if one is to understand the source of the reflection." --Dianne Bergant, C.S.A. in The Bible Today , September 1998  "Dollen has undertaken an almost impossible task in approaching all the Psalms for exposition but he does a rather amazing job. This little book is recommended to all readers who wish to know more about the Psalms to enrich their understanding and appreciation." -- Arnold Rzepecki in Catholic Library World, September 1998    Top of Page