I have come to greatly appreciate the work of the Ortlunds. I don't know yet if it's their way of expressing themselves or their clarity in doing so, or their chosen content, but it makes sense to me and it's easy for me to connect with them. Although I am not much of a reader of a devotional every day, I admit that I really enjoyed this one, perhaps because of the other non-devotional content that I have read from Ortlund and that has encouraged me in my walk of faith. Enjoy this devotional if you need encouragement, comfort or consider giving it to someone else, its cover is beautiful, but even more so is the inside.

Wonderful resource to recommend for those wanting to spend time studying and meditating in the psalms. I was really impressed with this work and know I will find myself using it and recommending it often.

What a beautifully written devotional book about the Psalms! This is a book that I’ll be returning to again and again as I am reading through the book of Psalms. It’s at easier to have it on my bookshelf. It’s inspiring, encouraging, convicting, and comforting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

In the Lord I Take Refuge is a beautiful devotional on the Psalms. The Psalms themselves are already so wonderful and in this book, Dane C. Ortlund writes beautifully about the Psalms. There is so much depth and insight in these pages about these Psalms but what I really appreciate and like is how Dane Ortlund draws the reader towards the heart of God. This is such a beautiful book and I will be returning to this again.

This is a really special book. The Psalms are amazing and this book is a helpful aide to see what the main message is behind each Psalm. It's easy to read the Psalms and pick out a few verses here and there . This book helps to see these amazing promises and truths in context and the verses become all the richer.

I appreciated that there is a devotional for every chapter of Psalms. Some Psalms are harder to understand and this book had helpful explanations. Over and over this book points to the "Savior walking through the Psalms. He is the one who embodies and fulfills all that we find in this book" (location 35).

I would highly recommend this book. It lead me to praise and worship and thanksgiving many times. I have already ordered and given away four copies of this book. It's a treasure that I will come back to again and again. Thank you to Crossway for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Just like in his previous book Gentle and Lowly, Dane Ortlund draws his readers to the heart of God. I appreciated the depth but also the brevity of his writing that accompanied each psalm. This is a book I’m excited to read and reflect on again and again.

I thought the content of this book was great, and I would be curious to read a physical copy to see how that alters my perception of this title. I think if I saw it laid out as a devotional with the short texts next to the Scripture I would have appreciated it a lot more. This was a book that I think would greatly benefit from reading with a physical copy.

Thank you to Crossway and Netgalley for the early digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an updated edition of Crossway’s ESV Devotional Psalter!
I am of the mindset that relying on a devotional, someone else’s commentary on scripture, shouldn’t replace one’s own careful reading and study of the Bible. However, books like this can be a helpful source of encouragement and provide clarification for the interpretations we come to. Each of the psalms is reproduced in the text, followed by Ortlund’s brief reflection on the content of the psalm. I think overall this devotional psalter makes for a solid companion to one’s reading through the psalms. Ortlund offers some helpful explanations about the individual psalm and raises questions to the reader for further contemplation and application. These reflections are meant to be digested quickly (only taking a few minutes to read) and as such, aren’t quite a complex deep-dive into context or analysis of the original Hebrew if that is what you’re looking for, but I don’t think that’s the purpose and that’s fine!

I’ve been trying to pray through the psalms each day using Donald Whitney’s method in Praying the Bible, and I found myself referencing Ortlund’s short reflections beforehand, especially for particular psalms that I initially thought were more straightforward or shorter psalms I was tempted to gloss over. I think on more than one occasion, Ortlund pointed something out I hadn’t thought of before, expanding my understanding of the potential intent behind the psalm, highlighting another aspect of God in the verses I may not have seen!

Thoughts on format: this is a book that probably works much better in physical print rather than as an ebook! There were some issues with the digital copy I received (missing headings for many of the psalm numbers, lack of table of contents which made referencing specific psalms difficult), but hopefully these were corrected in the final edition. The hardcover edition looks great!

In the Lord I Take Refuge by Dane Ortlund: 150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms
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Last year, I read Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund and it instantly became a book I couldn’t stop thinking about or recommending. So when I saw that he had a new devotional coming out, and on the Psalms (!) I couldn’t wait to dive in. Here’s what you should know about this book:
1. It contains the whole text of the book of Psalms, with a short (roughly 1 page per psalm) devotional following each chapter. I LOVE when a book contains the full text of the Scripture it is referring to.
2. It is good to remember that this is *not* Gentle and Lowly. In that, Ortlund basically wrote a whole book meditating on a single passage. In this devotional format, he gives a brief thought for even the longest psalms.
3. I found this to be conducive to further self study of the Psalms. The author’s insights made me want to go back and reread the passage and chew on it longer.
All in all, I would not hesitate for a moment to recommend In the Lord I Take Refuge if you’re looking for a new devotional or wanting to spend some time in the Psalms. I’m so glad I got to read this. The hardcover copy is also gorgeous, so this would make a great gift!

I could not put this book down. I can't wait for it to come out. It is going to be both a great devotional as well as a quick understanding of each of the Psalms. I have been studying Psalms for a number of years now and this resource is going into my Psalms area on my bookshelf. I love Ortlund's writing and so having his knowledge and the Psalms combined, what a rich resource.

In the Lord I Take Refuge
150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms
by
Crossway
Christian
Pub Date 27 Jul 2021


I am reviewing a copy of In the Lord I Take Refuge through Crossway and Netgalley:



If you are looking for a devotional that will allow you to journey through the psalms in a new way, I recommend Inn the Lord I Take refuge.




In the Lord I Take Refuge you will journey through beauty and delight as well as brokenness and pain. You will find that joy and sorrow mingle together.




If you are looking for a Devotional that stays true to the scriptures then look no further than In the Lord We Take Refuge.


I give In the Lord I Take Refuge five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I struggle and have gone back and forth on what I think about In the Lord I Take Refuge. Initially I was disappointed by the depth of the devotions. Then I considered my expectations and what the author and publisher are trying to offer. Slowly, I became more understanding and appreciative of the book.

Is this particular devotional book on the Psalms for me? No. Would I suggest this book for others? Yes.

In trying to figure out why I was frustrated, I noticed two particular aspects of this book, each related to the other. One, the devotions are brief. Two, relatively little context to each psalm is provided. For example, the devotion on Psalm 89 does mention the context but in a blink and you miss it way: “… amid great national distress (vv.38-52).” In other psalms, Ortlund provides sufficient context, but it is hampered by the length. The 5 verses of Psalm 43 receive more words than the 26 verses of Psalm 44. There are no reading plans offered; I hoped there would at least be one or two potential plans included in the back. Psalm 119 receives the same amount of devotional time. I had to be honest with myself: what I desire is more of a commentary than a devotional.

As I considered my disappointments, I attempted to slow down and recognize who would appreciate this devotion. In our age, Bible publishers have created so many sub-categories of Bibles. Versions exist for this and that group, which is another conversation. But this devotion ultimately provides the owner no excuse not to spend time in the Psalms. Many of the psalms are longer than the devotions; if you can finish reading the particular psalm, you have no reason not to spend some time reading and considering the devotion. I see this book being valuable for individuals not wanting to get bogged down in challenging psalms or even for family worship/reading.

I did enjoy the psalms being included in the text. My copy is digital, and I imagine it makes the physical copy fairly dense. Nevertheless, the reader does not need to flip back and forth between a physical Bible or app. Crossway does an excellent job with their typeset and the text is pleasant to read. Ortlund, ultimately, does a good job on the devotional material and reflections. He gets to the point and provides words of comfort and encouragement.

Dane Ortlund's daily devotional on the Psalms -- In the Lord I Take Refuge -- is without a doubt the most helpful resource I have ever used for my daily quiet time with the Lord. For the past three years I have used this incredible devotional in its original version published by Crossway as the ESV Devotional Psalter. So even though the re-titled version (now in a beautiful hardback) is now a new book by Crossway under this new title -- it is a dear daily-companion that I've been blessed by -- day-in and day-out ... 365 days a year -- for the past 3 years. It is simply the best guide for my daily QT I've ever used! Each entry has the ESV psalm for the day -- 150 days in a row -- with a page of powerful, text-driven, practical and worship-fueling insights based on that psalm written by Dane Ortlund. I've tried a multitude of 'daily devotional aids' over the decades of my life -- and this one is, hands down, the most impacting one I've ever found. Don't miss this fantastic tool for your growth in the Lord -- as it now is published in a beautiful new edition. I'll be using it again tomorrow morning -- and daily for the rest of my life. When I reach the end with psalm 150, I simply go back to the beginning and start all over again with psalm 1. It never gets old but is a fresh gift to my heart every single day. I've guided many friends to this treasure. I hope I can now do the same for you.