C.S. Lewis Book Critique:
Reflections on the Psalms
A Reflection on the Psalms written by C.S Lewis was first printed in 1977 by Fount Paperbacks, a formation with an intellectual perspective about the book of Psalms. An atheist turned believer, C.S. Lewis wrote an analogy of the beloved liturgical Psalms. From his introduction, he, in no way, tries to impose his knowledge on the masses. He gives substantial implications of his scant knowledge of the profoundness of his religious belief despite his experience as a scholar of religion[1]. Lewis writes of the difficulties he faced in the comprehension of Psalms, with his dissatisfaction with the explanations he receives from others. In his prose, he says he enjoys reading them, especially the musical undertone the chapters provide. Throughout his book, this enjoyment of the Psalms informs the decisions taken to comprehend the more difficult passages. His critics state he leans too much of an inclination to an emotional setting rather than a logical understanding. This flaw might be in itself his greatest strength as a Christian believer, to see the sanity of the Bible verses.
Lewis’ analogy is not of the rich history of the Psalmists but rather on the excerpts themselves. He divides his research into various sections: one of the first is the condemnation in Psalms. A summary of this chapter could forbid some fervent Christians frightened into salvation because of the fear of damnation. He brings comparisons with other books in the Bible like Luke or prehistoric trials like the Nazis as he relates their similarities. He calls us to the truthful judgment that awaits sinners, regardless of the caste they had in this temporary earth. Several quotations in Psalms chapter 9 and 72 are given where there is a promise of good judgment form the basis of his argument. His second chapter talks of a strange yet domestic feeling that many of the faith associate with, hatred. He uses quotes of many supplications made by its writers against their fellow men asking for retribution, for wrongs done or perceived. In so doing, he tries to explain how close the purity of God’s anger is to such prayers[2]. Lewis gives a disquieting narrative from this chapter onwards by talking of the unforgiving nature the Jews possessed back then, so similar to us today. Death and all its mystery are explored in the following chapters. Then the focus turns to the beauty in the worship of the Lord to other items on his mind. From his first line to the finishing comment, Lewis gives his compare and contrasts with this book. He has anecdotes ranging from typical life situations to the statute of life so fearfully respected by the Church and its supporters alike. Quips from Psalms 1:2, where the portion of a good man is to delight in the Law of the Lord, are questioned by Lewis[3]. In so doing, Lewis tests personal belief in religion, whether following it because he was told to or whether it is an inspiration to be a better man.
The book has several strengths and weaknesses as with any other literary work of its kind. It starts with the knowledge that similar writers are afraid to talk about, of the possibility of judgment. He does not tiptoe around the subject, which is informative without demeaning any of the values within it. Attributes of kindness, justice, and fairness are the bases of his strong introduction endearing him to many readers. Additionally, through the interaction of the first chapter, he brings a reader to the understanding of the Jewish significance to this day[4]. In the subsequent chapter, Lewis brings down the human expression of hate by comparing it to the love of a God who urges us to forgive inequities. He then eases down to the beauty of Psalms, comparison of it to the sweetness of honey. Approximation of the reference to nature, with the continuous connotation of praise, helps to ease the reader into his analysis.
One of the main weaknesses exhibited is the failure to mention adequate references to the book of Psalms. While in his introduction, he proclaimed the idea of perusing through Psalms as unwarranted, he seems to do the same thing in the rest of the book. He prefers to talk to the reader as if the title of the book does not demand he bases his arguments on Psalms. In some chapters like Second Meanings, he is more content to talk of paganism and secular myths[5]. Lewis talks of the role superstitions play in our daily lives and makes the incomparable comparison of Adonis to Christ in a manner most would term as diabolical. Towards the end of his book, he seems more content to talk of social issues, with examples from the history of Virgil. Even to the untrained eye, it seems natural to point out his paragraphs go for so long without the mention of his text reference: Psalms.
In his introduction, he makes the following statement ‘’This is not a work of scholarship[6] ’’. In so doing, Lewis washes off his hands of the notion that it is a researched article made to prove rights or point out the wrongs. His purpose in writing the book is to clear out the confusion he has on sample parts of Psalms. Taking on the example of an equal to his reader, Lewis hopes that he might shed some light on his fumbling in the dark. It can be argued that he writes this book for an audience receptive to theories of the Psalms by someone not ordained by the Church, an equal believer like themselves. In continuing his book, he makes a note of many situations an average person could find themselves in and what the Bible makes of it. Lewis appreciates the book of Psalms and does not create an effort to claim the contrary. The poetry within it and the parallelism, intended or otherwise, form an exciting base for him. It is for a person interested in religion, not necessarily a convert of the Christian faith, as he gives in the disclaimer. ‘‘I am nowhere trying to convince unbelievers that Christianity is true[7].’’ He succeeds in his purpose and his target audience as he does not overwhelm them with written quotes from Psalms. A desire to hear himself write and for others to suspend their skepticism for an excellent piece, Lewis succeeds.
Notably, Reflections on the Psalms is not his only religious ‘critique.’ Neither is it the single piece written by acclaimed authors like him. While using the strict comparison of Lewis’ work, he has written apologetics like The Problem of Pain, Mere Christianity, and Miracles. His most prominent apologetic is Mere Christianity, he defended the faith and did not shy away from his fervent belief. The translation of this book has been done in more than thirty-six languages, with more than 3.5 million copies sold in English. Obviously, with such a ripple effect, Lewis proved popular with the story of personal conversion to Christianity[8]. In this book, he makes strong and compelling declarations of his faith. This statement is not like Reflections on the Psalms which is for all. Another comparison is of the equivocally coherent inspired connotations he makes of his experience as a soldier and the role it played in his atheism[9]. Simply put, Lewis makes a personal reference in the writing of his Christian apologetics, unlike the one under discussion. Then again, he did make the disclaimer that Reflections on the Psalms was not a conversion book but a mere pouring of his heart.
There are other comparisons that can be drawn to authors like Robert Alter, who wrote The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary. In his book, Alter takes the scholarly approach, scorned by Lewis, in giving his synopsis of the translation trajectory Psalms underwent. Alter took on the job of researching on Psalms. One of the reasons was the acclamation he was likely to receive and the wealth of experience he had. On this matter, he does not stutter in giving a comprehensive list of his achievements[10]. There are many works written which decipher the meaning of the book of Psalms. An example would include the commentary made by Susan Gillingham in her reception to it. As Susan puts it, the history behind it is as important as the information contained in it. However, she follows a similar path to Lewis by acknowledging the rich stories of the past but not bothering with its exhaustive analysis. There is a comparison of the linguistic devices and the reception between the Jewish/ Christian complex[11]. There is a brief lull at the end with a background of Psalms through the centuries, and the significance accorded to it. In this book, she tries to bridge the gap between the Church and synagogue with academia[12]. It is more of an anthology than anything else. The style of writing by these two sample writers differ a lot with Lewis. This difference only goes on to show the uniqueness of the approach Lewis takes in his explanation. He chooses to take on the role of a religious bystander, unlike the strictly academic approach taken by his counterparts.
The Reflections on the Psalms is a provocative book in its particular style. Regardless of the straying from his topic, Lewis lives his truth as it is: a firm believer with questions. I would recommend this book to a person with an impartial mind who wants to know what goes on in the spirit of a religious scholar. Throughout his narrative, Lewis sits on the fence and allows his readers to make their conclusions on the matters he poses to them. He would have done better by quoting the Psalms with the same feverish anticipation he did the Nazi Trials or secular beliefs. However, this intended stray on his end was to make his point clear on his non-prejudicial work[13]. For a famous author like him, his prose gained prominence before and after his conversion. This book is an insightful way to start the conversation on the Bible and what it may mean to a person regardless of their individuality. Maybe with the writing of this book, there is a need to end the stigma of critiques, no matter how subtle they are.
Bibliography
Alter, Robert. The Art of Bible Translation. Princeton University Press, 2019.
Gillingham, Susan. Psalms Through the Centuries, Volume Two: A Reception History Commentary on Psalms 1-72. John Wiley & Sons, 2020.
Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958.
Marsden, George M., and Daren Magee. CS Lewis’s Mere Christianity. Vol. 24. Princeton University Press, 2020.
[1] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 1-3
[2] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 17
[3] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 48
[4] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 14
[5] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 91
[6] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 1
[7] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 6
[8] Marsden, George M., and Daren Magee. CS Lewis’s Mere Christianity. Vol. 24. Princeton University Press, 2020: 9
[9] Marsden, George M., and Daren Magee. CS Lewis’s Mere Christianity. Vol. 24. Princeton University Press, 2020: 26
[10] Alter, Robert. The Art of Bible Translation. Princeton University Press, 2019: 15-16
[11] Gillingham, Susan. Psalms Through the Centuries, Volume Two: A Reception History Commentary on Psalms 1-72. John Wiley & Sons, 2020: 2
[12] Gillingham, Susan. Psalms Through the Centuries, Volume Two: A Reception History Commentary on Psalms 1-72. John Wiley & Sons, 2020: 80
[13] Lewis, Clive Staples. Reflections on the Psalms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1958: 7