The Christian Book of Mystical Verse

By A. W. Tozer

The purpose of this book is to bring together in one convenient volume some of the best devotional verse the English language affords, and thus to make available to present day Christians a rich spiritual heritage which the greater number of them for various reasons do not now enjoy. I have not hesitated to apply the term "mystical" to the material I have collected here, though I readily admit that fewer than half a dozen of the men and women who would be called true mystics in the strict classical sense will be found here. Such names as Eckhart, Ruysbroeck, John of the Cross, Teresa, Rolle, Tauler, Hilton, Francis of Assisi, for instance, are not represented in this volume at all. On the other hand the frequent appearance of such a man as Watts might cause the reader to lift a questioning eyebrow and ask, "Is Watts also among the mystics?" Well, the answer must be, Of course he is, and so are John Newton and James Montgomery and Reginald Heber and Charles Wesley, as well as many others who might have balked at being called mystics but whose writings, nevertheless, reveal unmistakable traces of purest mysticism and are the better for it. And for that matter the same thing may be said of the inspired writings of such men as Moses and David and Isaiah and Daniel and Paul and John, the works of the latter showing more than traces of the mystical spirit, being indeed charged full with it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wilder Publications, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781633840553

A. W. Tozer

The late Dr. A. W. Tozer was well known in evangelical circles both for his long and fruitful editorship of the Alliance Witness as well as his pastorate of one of the largest Alliance churches in the Chicago area. He came to be known as the Prophet of Today because of his penetrating books on the deeper spiritual life.

Reviews for The Christian Book of Mystical Verse

[beautyinthebinding · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Christian Book of Mystical Verse compiled by A. W. Tozer. This collection includes hymns and prayers, but the majority of it is lyric poetry. Most selections are not written in easy-to-read, common speech; however, the effort to read slowly and experience the text is worth the effort. Many of the poems contain exuberant praise that serves as an uplifting reminder of the greatness of God. The Christian Book of Mystical Verse is divided into fifteen topical sections and The Prayer of Quiet was my favorite section. This collection did not include some of the well-known poets I expected, but I enjoyed being introduced to new-to-me authors such as Frederick William Faber whose beautiful poetry featured often. Some of my favorite poems were: The Greatness of God by Frederick William Faber, Prayer for Purity by Nicolaus Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, My God! Silent to Thee! By Thomas Moore, and In Immanuel’s Land by Anne R. Cousin.Perhaps you’re wondering about the word “mystical” in the title. A. W. Tozer explains in his introduction: “The word ‘mystic’ as it occurs in the title of this book refers to that personal spiritual experience common to the saints of Bible times and well known to multitudes of persons in the post-Biblical era. I refer to the evangelical mystic who has been brought by the gospel into intimate fellowship with the Godhead… He [or she] exists in a world of spiritual reality.” (Pg. 16) I recommend The Christian Book of Mystical Verse: A Collection of Poems, Hymns, and Prayers for Devotional Reading compiled by A. W. Tozer to any Christian believer who enjoys lyric poetry. Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.