Bless the Lord, O my soul:So opens Bless the Lord: The 103rd Psalm. Drawn word for word from the King James Version of the Bible, Johannah Bluedorn Stanford has called upon her considerable illustrative talent to produce 30 rich, full-page ink and watercolour paintings to accompany the 22 verses of David’s psalm of praise in this picture book.and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
- Psalm 103:1, KJV
Filled with delicate detail, the illustrations evoke fond pastoral imaginings of simpler times. Each image of gardens, dry goods stores, livestock, home life and celebration, incorporate the glory and wonder of God’s creation. Each page contains visual symbolism that reflects the word of God that it accompanies.
Rather than relying upon a literalistic visual depiction of the verses, the text is intertwined with depictions of the daily life of a halcyon by-gone age. For example, Psalm 103:4, “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies,” is graced with two young children at playful rest in a pasture with their cattle. The children are making daisy chains to place upon the head of their beloved Jerseys, crowning them in an act of affection.
The scriptural tie-ins are therefore subtle in many cases, but will still serve as effective mnemonic aids for memorization as the book is reread. While providing visual associations for each verse, Bless the Lord is an exquisite work of art in its own right. The rich details and light-filled scenes invite readers young and old to linger over each page, basking in the joy evident therein.
Stanford’s illustrations also serve as visual inspiration for artists-in-training. In the course of making day-trips with our copy, I’ve had self-trained artists who work in other illustrative styles seize the book and pour over it, “Wow, she’s good – who did the illustrations?” Homeschooled by her parents Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn, Stanford is a self-taught artist who has attained a sense of proportion and form that is increasingly absent in the field of children’s literature.
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