I kid, but there does seem to be a new psalter published by some Orthodox publishing house every year. I'm going to buy it of course, but I think I have an entire bookshelf of psalters at this point.
(Holy Cross Bookstore) - New from Holy Cross Orthodox Press! The Psalter According to the Seventy is a new translation by the Rev. Fr. Peter Chamberas. This edition is interlinear with Greek on the left and English on the right. It is broken into the traditional Kathismata. The gilded pages and beautiful layout creates an aesthetic of prayer.
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And pepperoni at that, so not suitable for Lent - even in a Greek parish. :)
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DeletePerhaps it seemed fitting to Father Chamberas and his publisher that there should be another "Psalter according to the Seventy" published right there at Hellenic College / Holy Cross seminary -- as opposed to the better-known "Psalter according to the Seventy" published literally in HCHC's backyard by Holy Transfiguration Monastery, which isn't even in communion with ROCOR, let alone the GOArch.
DeleteBecause each amateur thinks he can make English even less understandable than the last guy. The Greeks seem to actually think someone reads Greek which is a bigger problem. The archdiocese dare not print anything in English only. It would be admitting something. If they offered an English only and a Greek only book, guess which one would gather dust? It matters very little since the Orthodox in general ignore the Psalms entirely.
ReplyDeleteI hesitate to mention all of the non eastern orthodox psalters out there, amny more accurate,,many in better english also when i comes to biblical studies i do not believe we have anyone of the academic caliber of some of the leading non eastern orthodox scholars --- perhaps we need to get our academic acts together before we procede with another version???????
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ReplyDeleteFather,
ReplyDeleteI received my pizza psalter today.
A very nice book, in that "Soft" non leather exterior.
It is nicely formatted by the esteemed Father Michael Monos of NewRome Press with nice endpaper.
The font is like a 14 and you can tell this book is intended for pew use.
There is ghosting on the pages.
The translation is definitely readable, and remind me of the Contos/DaVinck translation. None of the annoyances of traditional psalters with their strange mixture of the Septuagint and the King James Bible.
There are nice endnotes on the psalms, but strangely, none on the Odes.
What is weird is that psalms 110-118 and 145-150 start of with the evangelical "Hallelujah" instead of the more common "Alleluia." It makes me think of the childhood parody of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, "Glory, Glory Hallelujah! Teacher hit me with a ruler . . ." The same problem is found at all of the prayers at the end of the stasis. "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Glory to you, O God" instead of "Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to You, o God." This is very off putting and I do not like it because it brings to mind evangelicals stomping and yelling. Maybe that is what Father Chamberas wanted. I do not know, but "hallelujah" does not fit with what we have come to expect of a psalmody.
Hallelujah is normally pronounced with the "h" enunciated. Some people will also pronounce the "j", making it "hallelu jah," and that will make some people think of the Jamaican "Jah."
People forget that that "j" in "Hallelujah" like used in lieu of an "i" an old habit that has been dropped as English speakers are more likely to pronounce consonants than vowels. Much the same situation with the "h: with it once intended to be silent. In any event it would have been better to use "alleluia."
Let me also add that Father Chamberas provides a very useful commentary on all 151 psalms. This is set off in the back, and are great referral points should one wish to do a homily on the psalms, as I have seen some priests do during vespers.
ReplyDeleteWhile the book is designed to be used, it will look very pretty on your bookshelf or icon altar. The book is lightweight and easy to hold and the font is pleasant to the eyes. So, if you say/sing the Kathismata, it is easy to do so with this book.
In the end, despite my fussing about the "hallelujahs," I plan to use the book as it is the most practical psalter I have come across.