This image is the cover for the book Praying the Psalms with Beads

Praying the Psalms with Beads

The psalms made intimate and tangible

Life is often so busy and chaotic that even when we do find time to pray, our minds cannot settle and our thoughts drift to the stresses and concerns that pull our attention elsewhere. With the use of beads, however, our bodies are incorporated into the act of praying, allowing us to remain present with God in a state of peaceful meditation. 

Praying the Psalms with Beads guides the reader in a daily devotional habit that distills the entire book of Psalms into 182 five-minute prayers, allowing one to go through this whole cycle twice a year, gaining deeper familiarity with the psalms each time. By virtue of this repetition, the psalmists’ praises, laments, and supplications become something deeply felt instead of only distantly understood. 

Nan Lewis Doerr’s introduction includes an overview and guide to using prayer beads, making this an accessible book for anyone who longs for deeper peace and spiritual focus in their lives.

Nan Lewis Doerr


Nan Lewis Doerr is an Episcopal priest who has served in six parishes, on two university campuses, and in one mission in the diocese of Texas. She is also the coauthor, with Virginia Stem Owens, of Praying with Beads.

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company