Songs of Zion by James Montgomery

What would you do if you found a book that combined your love for Scripture, your love for poetry and your love for hymns? You would probably read it in two days like I did.

As I’ve studied the Psalms, I’ve been impressed by the number of hymn writers who have devoted entire books to them. Charles Wesley did one and so did James Montgomery. His “Songs of Zion: Imitations of the Psalms” was published in 1828. While pricey at Amazon, I was able to read it for free at Internet Archive. (There is a link for downloading it to your kindle.)

Since I’ve been doing a deep dive in the Psalms over the last few years, I’ve became very familiar with a few of them and readily saw Montgomery’s skill in capturing their essence. His rhyme scheme was occasionally monotonous, but his word choices were a constant delight. Imagine a more charming synonym for hymns of praise than “songs of sacred mirth.”

Below are a few of my favorite examples of his "imitations."  

Psalm 42:11 – Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. (NIV)

Montgomery’s version

Why, my soul, art thou perplexed?

Why with faithless trouble vexed?

Hope in God, whose saving name

Thou shalt joyfully proclaim.

 

Psalm 91:11-16

He shall charge His angel legions,

Watch and ward o’er thee to keep,

Though thou walk through hostile regions,

Though in desert-wilds thou sleep;

On the lion vainly roaring,

On his young, thy foot shall tread,

And, the dragon’s den exploring,

Thou shalt bruise the serpent’s head.

 

Since with pure and firm affection,

Thou on God hast set they love,

With the wings of His protection,

He will shield thee from above;

Thou shalt call on Him in trouble,

He will hearken, He will save, 

Here for grief reward thee double,

Crown with life beyond the grave.

Psalm 116:14 - I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. (NIV)

Montgomery:

Thou God of covenanted grace,

Hear and record my vow,

While in Thy courts I seek Thy face,

And at Thine altar bow.

Psalm 124:7 - We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.

 Montgomery:

Our soul escaped the toils;

As from the fowler’s snare,

The bird, with disentangled wings

Flits through the boundless air.

Final thoughts: I used to have a friend who read the Bible in a different version every year because he never wanted the words to become so familiar that he had to stop thinking about them. Montgomery's poems would serve the same purpose.

A worthwhile book for lovers of devotional poetry. 

Blessings,