Encountering the Book of Psalms


Book Description

A user-friendly guide to the study and interpretation of the Psalms.




A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms


Book Description

Taking his point of departure from the newest frontier of research, McCann reads the psalms in the context of their final shape and canonical form. He interprets the psalms as scripture as well as in their character as songs, prayers, and poetry from Israel's history. McCann's intent is to contribute to the church's recovery of the psalms as torah--as instruction, as a guide to prayer, praise of God, and pious living. The explicit connections which McCann draws from the psalms to the New Testament and to Christian faith and life are extensive, making his work suitable for serious study of the psalms in academic and in church settings. An appendix examines the tradition of singing the psalms and offers suggestions for the use of the psalms in worship.




Introduction to Psalms


Book Description

Hermann Gunkel's commentary on Psalms (Die Psalmen, HKAT)—considered by many to be his magnum opus—was published in 1926. But he was unable to complete his final work on the Psalms. The severe suffering of the final months of his life forced him to hand over his incomplete manuscript, at Christmastime 1931, to his pupil Joachim Begrich. Gunkel died on 11 March 1932. Begrich put the final touches on the organization of Gunkel's last work on Psalms, and it was published in 1933 as Einleitung in die Psalmen: die Gattungen der religiosen Lyrik Israels. As with much of Gunkel's other work, the influence of Einleitung in die Psalmen on the study of the Pslams, Hebrew poetry, and, indeed, the whole realm of Old Testament literature, lyric, and cult, as already noted, "can scarcely be overestimated.”




Introduction to the Psalms


Book Description

Introduction to the Psalms: A Song from Ancient Israel seeks to provide the reader with a solid introduction to the Hebrew Psalter, one that is informed by an interest in its shape and shaping. The author, Nancy deClaiss�-Walford, provides an up-to-date study on the poetic style of the psalms in the Psalter, their Gatt�ngen or genres, the broad shape of the book, and the history of its shaping. She introduces each of the five books of the Psalter, providing a detailed examination of those individual psalms that are either key to the shaping of the Psalter or interesting studies in poetic style. In the final chapter, deClaiss�-Walford draws conclusions about the shape of the Psalter and about its story and message. She proposes a way to read the Psalms as a unified whole and in relationship to one another rather than as individual pieces, giving an inclusive, all-encompassing shape to the Psalter. Included are two appendices that provide a listing of the superscriptions and Gatt�ngen of the psalms in the Hebrew Psalter and an explanation of many of the technical terms found in their superscriptions.




Psalms


Book Description

Jesus died with a psalm on his lips. For millennia, humans have been shaped by the Psalms. And before the Nazis banned him from publishing, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer published this book on the Psalms. What comfort is found in the Psalter? What praise, and what challenge? What threat? In the pages of Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, discover the richness this book of Scripture held for Bonhoeffer, and learn to pray psalms along with Christ. First published in 1940, this classic reveals how the Psalms are essential to the life of the believer and offers Bonhoeffer's reflections on psalms of thanksgiving, suffering, guilt, praise, and lament. Now with an introduction by Walter Brueggemann and excerpts from the Psalms, Bonhoeffer's timeless work offers contemporary readers ancient wisdom and resources for the living of these days. Includes a biographical sketch of Bonhoeffer written by his friend and biographer Eberhard Bethge.




An Introduction to the Psalms


Book Description

This introduction to the Psalms introduces readers to some of the key issues arising from different approaches to the biblical text. Alastair G. Hunter examines how current methods of interpretation - historical/cultural, literary, liturgical and theological - differ and complement each other. He provides an overview of contemporary scholarship (including the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls Psalms) and examines some of the key texts and commentaries in use today. The book offers a way in to a more detailed and more advanced Psalms study, and includes particular emphasis on literary and liturgical matters, which are often left out of traditional commentaries. Hunter seeks to do two things: to understand the psalms in themselves as deliberately arranged poetical and liturgical compositions; and to explore their literary and theological significance for contemporary readers. He considers the increasing body of work relating to groups of psalms, and reviews the results to date of that approach, which helps the reader to see the psalms as a more coherent collection of texts, and has implications for their exegesis and interpretation.




The Psalms


Book Description

Remarkably enough, there is a scarcity of modern commentaries on the Psalms for the more general reader, though after the Gospels, they are probably the most widely-read part of the Bible. No one is more qualified to write on the Psalms than John Eaton. He is a distinguished Old Testament scholar and has spent a lifetime studying the Psalms. This commentary is addressed to the wide readership. There is a long and highly readable introduction giving a background to the Psalms; then follow the 150 Psalms, each in Eaton's translation. He explains the background to the Psalms and their content in a way that makes them interesting and relevant to the present. The discussion of each psalm ends with a related Christian prayer, either from the tradition or written by Eaton himself. John Eaton is recognized as one of the world's leading experts on Psalms: this commentary is the culmination of his life's work. John Eaton lectured in Old Testament at the University of Birmingham until his retirement. He is the author of many books, especially on aspects of the Psalms.




Psalms for Beginners


Book Description

This book will examine the different types of psalms as well as the various literary devices used by the authors of the psalms.




Invitation to the Psalms


Book Description

The Book of Psalms is perhaps the most cherished book in the Old Testament. In this lively volume, two experienced teachers invite students to read and explore the Psalter and roam widely among its poems. The book introduces the dynamics of the biblical text, helping students become careful and attentive readers. It covers how to read Hebrew poetry, the Psalter's basic genres, the idea of "the psalmist," the metaphorical world of the Psalms, and the theology of the Psalms. Sidebars, discussion questions, and plenty of examples enhance the reading experience. This clear and concise guide is accessible to all serious students of the Bible.




Reading the Old Testament


Book Description

Daily life in Ancient Israel - Great prophets including, Hosea, Amos, Isaiah - People and lands of the Old Testament.