<DIV><div><p class="MsoPlainText">In her journey, Elizabeth Black’s study of the Psalms of Ascent has provided her with profound comfort and a new understanding of God’s presence. Turning to the ancient words of these songs, some attributed to David Solomon, we can find ways to access God’s companionship and turn our human struggle with loneliness into a peaceful solitude. <I>Hand in Hand</i>, her collection of thoughtful devotions, focuses on the five areas where we tend to experience loneliness: loss, rejection, isolation, misunderstanding, and separation from God. Exploring the timeless words of Psalms 120–134, which biblical scholars believe gave comfort and joy to pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem, she makes them resonate with contemporary meaning. Each devotion includes other verses to contemplate and “tips for the trail.” With this small guidebook to these beloved psalms, we recognize that now as then, God is with us, hand in hand, wherever our journey leads.</p></div></div>