Description: Essence of the Psalms preserves the spirit of the biblical text while recasting it in a modern idiom. The poetic styles in this work are based on those found in the sacred text. Retained are the messages of petition, praise, thanksgiving, musings, anxiety, awe, confrontation and remorse, smoldering embers of anguish, and, especially, blessings. They are filtered, moreover, through a lens ground with both the bleakness and brightness of human history. The messages point to faith in and hope for a better world by taking the Virtuous Path of God, a Path Ringed with Garlands of Goodness. There is much mystery in the biblical text. Because the rules and rhythms of the human condition are ever changing, each time one revisits the text some mystery is unraveled, new meanings are unlocked, and enlightenment unfolds. A better understanding of the storms and calms of life springs forth. Extracting the marrow of the sacred text, Essence of the Psalms is a living testimony of its vitality and relevance. About the Contributor(s): Norman M. Chansky's poems have appeared in several collections. ""A Converso Lament"" has appeared in Karen Primack's Under One Canopy (2002); a tribute to Anton Schmid, set to music by Pete Seeger, is featured in Jerry Silverman's The Undying Flame: Ballads and Songs of the Holocaust (2002); and in Sandra Shelton's Ictus: Fit Survival. Several poems have appeared in the Swarthmorean including ""The Joseph Cousins"" (Oct. 18, 1991), ""Remembering the Fallen by the Living"" (May 30, 2003), ""Soldiers of Misfortune: Nam Veterans"" (May 27, 2005), and ""Antietum: September 17, 1862"" (May 24, 2002).