Varner, William. Awake O Harp: A Devotional Commentary on the Psalms. Updated. The Woodlands: Kress Christian Publications, 2017.
I find that it is important to first state that I may be a little biased toward this book due to having the author as one of my college professors during Graduate studies. My intention is not to transfer my impression of him into his work but to take the writing at face value, though I would also like to introduce how it was used in the class. As the title states, Awake O Harp is a “Devotional Commentary” on the Psalms, though I would say that it is more devotional than commentary. Meaning, what we expect in a Commentary series these days, with academic scholarship, this commentary is more aligned with application. Therefore, the background provided is to set a mood that is normally seen in Devotionals, except that the verses themselves provide the focus without moving into topics.
Dr. Varner then works each Psalm individually (with the occasional two-part for the longer Psalms), providing a structure, theme, and additional cross-references that assist with one’s understanding. Each Psalm and commentary takes up an average of two pages each, with the Psalms written in a two-column format. Lastly, each psalm is ended with a one-to-sentence prayer that adapts the Psalm to a condition.
This book and these sample prayers were used as assignments during my course to develop a skill to pray with the Psalms. Most of us learn to pray by copying our parents or pastors and we seek to emulate them during our prayer times. Yet, even in these moments, many of us may feel as if all we are doing is talking or asking for needs without direction. This is not to say it is bad, but the Psalms provide us with a perfect picture of prayers and praises in poetic form. Additionally, do we think we understand and can rightly make an imprecatory prayer? This book may not give us a complete blueprint, but does provide examples so that we may learn to pray with the Psalms themselves.
Lastly, Dr. Varner separates the book into additional three sections, where the provided Psalms’ translations move from the English Standard Version (ESV), Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), and New American Standard Bible (NASB95). This shifting of translations doesn’t affect the overall book in any way but is a little detail that is pleasant as the formal and dynamic translations are balanced.
Ultimately, I find great value in this book as a 6-month devotional (there are roughly 168 different sections) that can open or close your times of prayer. I personally worked on roughly 4 a day, as I was restricted by a deadline, but it pushed me to move through my feelings and find periods of praise and thanksgiving when I felt I was in lament. While this book is not a must-have, it is still quite useful for anyone.