Philip Seddon

Psalmody

Prayer & Spiritual Formation

“Toddy Hoare’s biblical sonnets are disciplined, direct, personal, punchy heart-to-heart conversations with God: ‘To study Your Word is my pleasure’ (119, ii). He reads the Psalms in Christ and marries Coverdale’s antique English with wordplays (42: ‘hart … heart’), varied rhyming keys and modern vernacular usage: ‘discombobulated’ (70), ‘stink-holes’ (69), ‘loan-sharks’ (109). So now, with Toddy, you could read the Psalter back to front—or travel through the Psalms at speed before reading them in full. What a joy this all is; what a joy the Psalms are; and what a joy God is!”