This Holy Alphabet

Book excerpt: Deepen your conversation with God—in the nuances of the most complex Psalm. Throughout the centuries, writers have retranslated the Psalms, trying to keep alive the beauty of its images and the depth of its message, for each generation. Psalm 119 is the greatest of them all: the longest, most complex, and the one that most rewards close attention. This Holy Alphabet is a cycle of twenty-two original lyric poems which—like Psalm 119—follows the alphabetic pattern of the twenty-two consonants of the Hebrew alphabet. These meditations are rich with image and abundant with praise. Each of them strikes an intricate balance between traditional form and modern expression. Designed for both personal study and public prayer, they evoke a new sense of awe and wonder in the power of God’s word, fashioned on his alphabet, to bless, instruct, and console. Ingraham writes as a Christian, but her musical reflections capture the heart of a wisdom tradition shared by Christians and Jews alike.