A note on the genesis of this little book may explain its character. Its writer was asked, long ago, to make a meditation-book for seminarians. He tired, but failed. Then a translation, or paraphrase of the Breviary Psalms was suggested; or at least a meditation-book taking each Psalm in turn. This seemed impracticable. But since, while saying office or meditating, he found that certain verses became 'outstanding' or precious, he made notes on some of these, and finally adapted and amplified them as below.