While Fr Reardon (a priest of the Antiochian Orthodox Diocese and an erstwhile Anglican) disclaims the mantle of Scripture scholar, these meditations on the Psalter are erudite and are evidently the product of close and learned examination. There are references made to the original Hebrew and to the canonical Greek of the Orthodox Church, and pertinent comparisons made to New Testament passages. There is often a brief comment about the liturgical use of the psalm in question (morning or evening prayer, Easter or Great Lent, and so on).

While the ideal reader for Fr Reardon's reverent study would be Orthodox, and not unfamiliar with the liturgical Greek, "Christ in the Psalms" can be read, with profit, by Western Christians as well. But beyond scholarship and ecclesial loyalty, a vigorous faith is needed; in Fr Reardon's words: "The Psalter has nothing to say to the worldly; it is not for the unconverted, the unrepentant. It is, rather, the prayer book of those who strive for holiness of life and the unceasing praise of God." (See the commentary on Psalm 4.)

The numbering of the Psalm follows the Septuagint. Texts of the psalms are not included; Fr Reardon perhaps rightly assumes that the reader has a trustworthy translation on hand. He generally devotes two pages to each psalm. Most memorable, the comment on Psalm 51 (52), including an identification of the execrable Doeg the Edomite.

"Christ in the Psalms" is not a book to be zipped through; take two or three psalm-essays at a time. These "pastoral ponderings" will be of profit only to those of an unhasty disposition.

This book really woke me up to the voice of Christ in the Psalms. Father Reardon spent years reflecting on the Psalms and that slow, deliberate approach shows in the heart and insights he gives in his book. If you're looking for a jiffy pop approach to Christianity then look else where. If you want to better understand the true importance of the Psalms to Christians then this book is a must have resource.

For a deeper look into the Psalms, this is an excellent book. Fr. Patrick shows the reader the presence of Christ in the Psalms, explaining how these poems and songs represent an important part of Christian heritage and teaching. His essays are intelligent and well crafted, while being acessible to both the lay and scholarly reader alike. The essays are also warm and inspiring -- a tall order for any book. This book is an important addition to the library of anyone seeking to understand the Bible more clearly, and to Orthodox Christians especially, it is an invaluable tool, linking the Old and New Testaments, through Christ.

As a reader of Dr. Blackaby's this journal/book ids a great resource for teens, college age and young adults serious about going deeper in their relationship with God. A great resource for a journey with God.

I bought this devotional about 3 months ago. And I read it daily it has really blessed me. The first day I read several pages and I was in tears. My spirit was truly touched. I highly recommend this book to everyone wanting spiritual guidance.

This book openned my eyes and my heart to the ways God's love is flowing to all of us now. I'm 57, not a teenager, and I've found that every word I've read here speaks right to me in my adult life. It explains things that I've never understood before and draws me in with its questions. Don't miss this extraordinary treasure.

The NJB as a translation is unique in many ways. The main thing that makes it unique is that rather than using the euphemism LORD, it actually renders the divine name as Yahweh. This makes reading the Old Testament almost a new experience. It also transliterates other Hebrew names for God, like El-Shaddai. Its one of the few accurate versions to use the divine name. The translation is also poetic, yet accurate. The Regular Edition featured here is the best version of the NJB to own. The notes and book intros are extremely concise (and I mean very) and informative. There is a lot of information included in there. The maps and timelines are also very helpful. Overall this package is well put together and a great edition to anyone's collection.

The New Jerusalem Bible, along with the Revised English Bible (REB), the New American Bible (NAB) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), is one of the four great "ecumenical" translations English readers of the Bible are blessed with. Although a product of top notch Catholic scholarship, all Christians- Anglican, Orthodox, mainline Protestants and Evangelicals may enjoy this beautiful version. More literal than its parent, the original Jerusalem Bible of 1966, it is still more free than the NRSV and is very graceful and eloquent in speech. Psalm 23 is particularly lovely. The New Jerusalem Bible also has one of the best renderings of the classic Ephesians 2:8-10 text, rendering verse 10 "we are God's work of art..." I appreciate that the NJB renders the Pauline use of the "flesh" variously as "disordered desire," "weakness of human nature" "natural inclinations" depending on the context. This is much more clear than translating "flesh," which can lead to the misconception that the body is the seat of evil. Rather, as the translation "disordered desires" indicates, Paul is talking about normal, natural human desires that are disordered and dysfunctional. This approach is much to be preferred over the New International Version's very awkward and disappointing translation, "sinful nature" in almost every place where Paul use "flesh (GK, sarx)." The only possible drawback is that the use of "Yahweh" to translate the divine name may be offensive to some of our Jewish brothers and sisters. Many readers do enjoy the use of Yahweh. I also would have liked to see the Reader's Edition use single column like the original Jerusalem Bible, which has been recently republished. The New Jerusalem bible is one of the very best translations available today, in my mind second only to the NRSV. I only wish it was a little more popular, I think many Christians are missing the boat by not owning this wonderful Bible. I am disappointed that my own Roman Catholic Church in America does not use this Catholic translation more in the liturgy- the language of the New Jerusalem Bible sings.

The NJB Regular Edition has the most extensive and well-balanced introductions and footnotes that I have seen in a study Bible. The Notes are a careful balance of Catholic and moderate historical-critical exegesis.

The text of the NJB is somewhat less literal than the Revised Standard Version and the NRSV but it is quite literary in quality and provides a nice alternative reading to a more literal translation.

I recommend this edition of the Bible for all Christians to be used with other translations of their choice.

The Big Liddell is a very valuable resource, as a number of other reviewers here have observed. It truly is the premier work of its kind. But it has a few drawbacks.

1 - The sheer weight and bulk of this tome makes it a dedicated desk reference. In fact, you might consider building a special shelf or desk just to hold the book.

2 - The offset printing flaws mentioned by other reviewers is a significant problem. Portions of some entries are not even legible.

The Big Liddell is the kind of book that would be much more valuable in digital format than in print. There's been talk about an electronic version for some time, and it looks like we might finally get one soon ...

The "big" Liddell & Scott is the one to buy when you're about to do your doctorate. Until then you would be better off with the Intermediate, and not just because it's only about a third the price and much easier to carry about. The Intermediate has a much clearer typeface and many students find its material more easily accessible.
The ninth edition of the "big" Liddell & Scott has been offset so many times that the print is faint and verging on the illegible. My copy actually has pieces of print missing. The Clarendon Press ought really to have the whole thing revised and reset. But what a daunting task! (It will probably end up being republished on disk.)

This review is for the Abridged Liddell-Scott Lexicon...

I own the Intermediate sized Liddell as well, and I must say I actually prefer the smaller one. When I took a class where we read "The Apology of Socrates" by Plato, my professor recommended avoiding the Intermediate edition. At first I thought perhaps he was wrong, and I used it to translate some passages. After spending a lot of time sorting through it, I found that I agreed with him. The Intermediate Liddell does have locations of word use in original sources, and has slightly more vocabulary, but for the beginning and intermediate Greek reader, the Abridged Liddell is preferable. Navigating through the abridged edition is far easier and it often assumes a lesser knowledge of Greek, thus it includes some conjugated forms, which then point you to the correct verb. So as you can see, the abridged edition should suit the needs of most classical Greek students. Also, the editors took care to make sure that virtually every New Testament word is included.

Are there drawbacks to the Liddell-Scott? The Victorian English often gets frustrating. We rarely use words like hither and thither anymore. Also, when more morally explicit Greek words are defined, their definition is in Latin. Also, the original printing abnormalities, such as certain parts of letters being cut off from words, remain.

Learning Greek is a rewarding, but daunting task. The task is often made more difficult by grammars and lexicons that assume the reader knows more than he or she does. The abridged Liddell is perfect for the average student. When you want to dive in deeper, learn word origins, search sources, or just want to say you own the most complete Lexicon out there, you should buy the full size Liddell-Scott. Until then, the abridged edition works!

Matthew Henry's Commentary is sound in teachings, solid in doctrines, and rich in wisdom. As for the faithfulness to the Word of God, we can rely on this commentary because it has stood the test of time. I came across this commentary about 20 years ago when I was almost at a loss in finding good commentaries. In those days I was reading "Lectures to My Students" written by C.H. Spurgeon, and there he mentioned this commentary. Spurgeon says, "If a man can purchase but very few books, my first advice to him would be, let him purchase the very best..... Matthew Henry's Commentary having been mentioned, I venture to say that no better investment can be made,..... Get it, if you sell your coat to buy it." Recently they have published it in a new format without making major changes as far as the 6-volume boxed set publishied by Hendrickson Publishers is concerned. This new modern edition is readable especially for the younger generation. For our practical use, Matthew Henry"s Commentary is the best commentary on the Whole Bible.

Matthew Henry's commentary covers every verse in the Bible. If you have a question on a particular verse, you can always turn to Matthew Henry and he'll give you some insight on the meaning as well as link it to other verses that talks about that concept. This edition has extremely small font size and is very hard on the eyes to read. In one sitting it is probably wise to only study about 5 verses in depth, as it is definitely full of meaning and not for skimming.

This is a timeless classic. No one is more practical and witty than Matthew Henry. His commentary has been a huge help to me in my Bible study and his orthodoxy is seldom surpassed in whole bible commentaries. I would highly recommend anyone who is a Christian to have this commentary on their bookshelf. It is not the Word of God, but it is an excellent help for us to achieve greater understanding and wisdom from God's Word.

Coming from a Windows (95/98/NT), Macintosh and Linux background, I found BeOS extremely refreshing - a truly modern OS with best-of-breed technology.

This book is rightfully called the Bible. It deals very well with the all aspects of BeOS - technical as well as social. Starting from a history of the company and the operating system, it contains interviews with key people on the team.

Technically, I just couldn't find fault with it anywhere. Excellent peice on installation and configuration... In depth look at built-in as well as third-party applications... An overview of the BASH command shell and simple commands... what more could I want?

I just hope that the book is updated at the same pace that the OS is evolving. It would be a shame if it doean't keep up.

I have been following the BeOS since the early days (thanks to an interview with their CEO in the premiere issue of Boot magazine, now Maximum PC), and have hoped for the OSes success. Now, Scott Hacker has created a tome worthy of this great operating system. It is a well written computer book (which is rare for a computer book on any topic) that lets any level reader comprehend and appreciate the massive about of technology behind BeOS. It covers every aspect of the system while providing very useful tips and showing a sense of humor. The interviews with employees of Be, Inc. are a worthwhile bonus as they round out the story of Be, Inc. The website which serves as a companion to the book ensures that it will never go out date. An absolute must have.

If you're interested in getting into the Be operating system (BeOS), then get the BeOS Bible now! Myself, I was literally raised on Windows 3.1 and up, with limited experience with DOS and no exposure to alternative (= better) operating systems out there. With Mac's status on the market in perpetual flux; Unix's esoteric domination on the way out; OS/2's waning following; and Linux's daunting installation and heavy-handed command line, it seemed that Be was FINALLY the alternative OS for me. Two things going for it:

1) It's brand new and isn't here to compete with Gates, but to accompany it and others.

2) Its amazingly easy to install, use, and boot (under 10 seconds!)

Scot Hacker does a brilliant job of light-heartedly illustrating all the nitty gritties, as well as presenting a good background of computing architecture. A very good and important read. Get it now along with the operating system.

Henry Morris has never been one to shy away from controversial issues, and that is reflected in the footnotes he penned in this study Bible. He has comments on passages that others often totally ignore in their editions. He frequently challenges the conventional interpretation of difficult passages (for example, his identification of the rider of the white horse in Revelation 6:2 as Jesus Christ, rather than Anti-Christ.)

Morris' notes are clearly based on the literal hermeneutic: that is, dispensationalism. In addition, he is unabashedly baptistic when it comes to church polity. And of course, he is definitely a young-earth creationist. If you are unwilling to accept this sort of perspective on the Scripture, you should probably look at a different study Bible.

Morris gives a clear and concise defense of his choice of the Authorized Version as the text. His defense indicates that he is in the mainstream of the Majority Text/Textus Receptus camp. He is *not* KJV-only.

The text provided Word does have certain shortcomings. The italics for words which are implied but not stated in the original languages are missing from this text. In addition, the concordance is essentially worthless. If you are away from home and don't have access to your Strong's or Cruden's concordances, trying to use the concordance is very frustrating.

This Bible is now my primary study Bible. It doesn't replace my Scofields (original and new editions) nor my Thompson Chain Reference Bible, but I do find it refreshing to read and study from.

This Bible is an amazing source of information about the Bible, science, and the creation that God made and said was good. I use this as a reference tool for almost all the books in the Bible. The commentary on Genesis and Revelation are worth the cost of the book alone. The rest of the New Testament commentary is truly edifying for the hungry believer. Buy it, use it, treasure it as a faithful commentary and presentation of God's Word to his church in these last days.

Henry M. Morris, a foremost Bible scholar, scientist, and scholar, has produced yet another great volume filled with Biblical truths that all Christians should read.

Dr. Morris's views on the validity of literal Bible interpretation and the infallibility of the Bible are represented eloquently throughout the more than 6000 annotations in the Defender's Study Bible. He strives to explain difficult passages in a clear and concise manner. He refuses to compromise in order to maintain the authority of true Biblical Christianity and doctrine. He applies what the Bible says to modern life, constantly comparing numerous things in the Bible to their contemporary equivalents.

One of the greatest aspects of this study Bible is its clear views on controversial matters. Where other study Bibles and other commentators will take a neutral stance, Morris presents what he believes to be the truth--what he feels the authors meant by what they said--and compassionately, lovingly, tactfully, and thoroughly defends his belief while presenting and disproving those of others.

Morris himself wrote in his introduction that the Defender's Study Bible follows a literal approach to the Bible. He says, "Based on this literal and contextual approach, the notes become what one might call Baptistic in ecclesiology, pre-millennial in eschatology, non-charismatic in pneumatology and moderately Calvinistic in soteriology." While no attempt is made in his notes to formulate formal doctrines, they do support the above-mentioned ones.

Also of interest is the eighteen appendices at the back of this Bible covering the scientific evidences proving the Bible and evolution vs. creation.

If you are interested in what the Word of God truly says, the Defender's Study Bible is for you. I highly recommend it.

Yes, Mr. Halley was something of a white Christian supremacist (but back in the 1920's so were a lot of Americans). He does appear in his handbook to use the good book to advocate the view of Japhetites (Aryans) being meant to conquer the earth and rule over Hamites (blacks) and Semites (Jewish people).Mr. Halley was very wrong to do this but then again a lot of people used to feel this very same way. And he was a young earth creationist. This was rare for a 1920's Christian, as in the 1920's Old Earth Creationsm was the way of the day for people who took the Bible so literally. However, in his handbook Mr. Halley shows that, while indeed an advocate for young humankind, he believed in a regional flood of Noah rather a worldwide one (unlike most YEC's). This is a sanity saving grace (no pun intended) on the author's part. Mr. Halley also discusses the possibility of the six day creation period being 6 long geogical eras of time. In short, his racial views are more offensive than his creationist ones (though the latter are sometimes still a bit ridiculuos looking too).

A friend gave me this book for the first time 30 years ago when I was starting my Biblical quest for truth. I found it to be the most helpful, concise and comprehensive guide I have ever used. Definitely fundamentalist, it is not for those who do not accept that the Bible was written under God's instructions. I have given many copies of this book to Christian friends and relatives and will continue to do so.

I encourage all of you that have heard about Halley's Bible Handbook to check out the new 25th edition - Halley's Bible Handbook with the New International Version (also available on Amazon.com). I am the great granddaughter of the author, Henry H. Halley, and the current president of Halley's Bible Handbook, Inc. The new edition has updated archaeology as well as all new maps, photographs and illustrations. My husband and I, both born-again believers, had the blessed opportunity to be involved in the revision process. We have tried to addressed areas of concern in the prior edition and we encourage you to check out the completely revised commentary on Revelation.

Virkler has developed an excellent system of hermeneutics, and has put it together in a way that is easy to understand. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have him state what he'll cover at the beginning of the chapter, cover it, and then review at the end (similar to the way Mounce does in Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar). It makes it all so easy to grasp! This being said, I gave this book 3 stars instead of 5 because in the examples he provides, he doesn't put his own methods into practice at all! In nearly all of his examples from the Bible it is obvious that he had his exegetical outcome settled by his theology before he even looks to see what the text actually says. When this happens, your theology shapes the Bible instead of the Bible shaping your theology! It is amazing that someone that understands the principles of hermeneutics so well could exegete so poorly. But read the book and take his principles to heart, it is worth it. Just don't pay much attention to his examples.

Virkler's work "Hermeneutics," is widely acknowledged in the Evangelical realm as THE guidebook for novice exegetes. The book makes very strong points and gives adequate guidelines to help laypersons and up and coming pastors/theologians make accurate exegesis in study and homily.

Virkler's step-by-step process for interpreting, as he puts it, the "original intent" of the author of a biblical passage, is very simple to follow and actually apply. For example, the book comes with several "case studies" which may aid the student in conducting proper exegesis of given passages. Virkler also draws upon the biblical text to illustrate his points, which helps the student conceptualize the intended principle.

Virkler's recommendations for additional books and study materials I found inestimable; he even devotes an entire appendix to further studies in "sensus plenior" (dual authorship/intent), which seems to be one of his pet topics.

I do have some reservations about the book, however. First, Virkler does not offer answers to his case study (this may be overlooked given the conditional nature of many of the questions). Furthermore, Virkler frequently interjects his own ideas about how theology or hermeneutics/exegesis should be, even though one can perceive that he's trying very hard to write an objective textbook. An objective text should remain objective in its entirety. Such comments can be easily spotted however, and thereby mentally "set aside." Additionally, I noticed several typos or printing mistakes, mostly in the form of erroneously spelled words or misplaced punctuation marks.

I recommend this book with 4 stars for those who know little to nothing about hermeneutical methods, but would also add that the student can find much more information from more advanced sources, specifically in the realm of the history of hermeneutics.

Interestingly, this introduction to hermeneutics was written by someone who does not consider himself a theologian nor an exegete. Dr. Virkler is a professor of psychology who sensed the need for an introductory text on hermeneutics that translated theory into practical exegesis. His goal in this work was to not only provide a reader with the principles of interpretationneeded to exegete Scripture, but to also be able to apply them in sermon preparation or personal Bible study. With this goal in mind, Dr. Virkler included exegetical exercises at the end of almost every chapter dealing with specific passages and involving real life situations. His presupposition throughout this work is that the meaning of a text is the author's intended meaning. This is a great all-around hermeneutics text since it follows a logical structure, is fairly comprehensive and allows the reader to practice what he has learned with the "brain teasers" included. All in all, this is a great text.

I love Golf. It's the Rules I don't get. I mean none of us are Tiger Woods ... After 8 strokes just pick the ball up. Who cares who closest to the hole , Just putt the ball. That said ,The Official Exceptions to the Rules of Golf is a book made for the way I play golf. If more people follow these rules maybe I could get a round in in less than 3 hours!

This book takes everything you do with your friends that breaks the rules of golf and makes it hilariously legal. Written just like the USGA's manual and in golf legalese its a must have for anyone that enjoys golf. It includes such highlights as the Agreement to Re-tee or "Mass Mulligan", Temporary Insanity or "John Daly", and other such rules as Nonchalant Putts or "Tap-tap-tap-in and Mittsie". If you want a book that will make you laugh about golf, this is it!!!

I really enjoyed this book and sent it to several of my friends (golfers all) to read. They all enjoyed as much as I did.

It's written in the same basic style as "The Official Rules of Golf", but they use rules that you and I play by. The scary thing is that I have seen every rule in this book actually applied on the golf course! Not by myself, of course, but by others.

If you enjoy golf, and have ever wanted to play a ball that you found in the rough that was "close enough" to the one you couldn't find, you'll get a kick out of this book.