Psalms for Preaching and Worship a key addition to the critically acclaimed three-volume Lectionary Commentary / Despite the rich resources available for studying the Psalms, few are as focused on their place in worship and preaching as is this volume. The responsorial Psalms of the Revised Common Lectionary are here taken up in careful and often illuminating interpretation with attention also to their interaction with other lectionary texts. The many ways that psalms can function meaningfully in the liturgical life of congregations are explored especially in John Witvliet s concluding section. I know of no work that combines practice and substance better than this lectionary commentary. Patrick D. Miller / Princeton Theological Seminary / A fascinating book well organized, well written and edited, thorough, and informative. . . . An excellent resource not only for preachers using the Revised Common Lectionary but also for those wishing to preach a series of sermons on the Psalms. In addition, worship leaders and worship committees will appreciate the many excellent ideas for using the Psalms in worship. Highly recommended. Sidney Greidanus / author of Preaching Christ from the Old Testament and Preaching Christ from Genesis / Here is something even better than a simple completion of The Lectionary Commentary, which would be cause enough for gratitude. . . . Serious attention paid to this one book could go a long way toward remedying the scandalous neglect of the treasure of the Psalms in too much contemporary worship. Marguerite Shuster / Fuller Theological Seminary / Contributors: Nancy R. Bowen, William P. Brown, Walter Brueggemann, Richard J. Clifford, Nancy L. deClaiss-Walford, Jennifer S. Green, Karl N. Jacobson, Rolf A. Jacobson, Melody D. Knowles, Eunny P. Lee, Joel M. LeMon, James Limburg, J. Clinton McCann, James K. Mead, Carol A. Miles, Luke A. Powery, Stephen Breck Reid, Sandra L. Richter, Cynthia L. Rigby, Kathryn L. Roberts, Brent A. Strawn, Beth LaNeel Tanner, Roger E. Van Harn, Raymond C. Van Leeuwen, J. Ross Wagner, Gerald H. Wilson, John Witvliet, Christine Roy Yoder.

Written by leading experts in the field as well as some younger scholars, The Book of Psalms: Composition and Reception offers a wide-ranging treatment of the main aspects of Psalms study. The almost 30 essays consist of two overall sections. The first section contains studies of a more general nature; commentary on or interpretation of specific Psalms; social setting; and the Psalter as book. The second section contains essays on the literary context of the Psalter (including Qumran texts); textual history and reception in Judaism and Christianity; and the theology of the Psalter. The volume ends with a cumulative bibliography and several useful indices.

The first of a three-volume commentary on the book of Psalms in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms series.

"The Book of Psalms is often seen as an anthology of prayers and hymns from which the reader may extract a selection as need or interest dictates. However, a recent development in Psalms scholarship has been a discussion of whether the collection of psalms has some overall structure. Is the whole of the Book of Psalms greater than the sum of its individual parts? This commentary argues that it is and presents a continuous reading of the Book of Psalms. Moreover, the long-standing tradition, found within both Judaism and Christianity, of associating the psalms with David is used as a reading strategy. In this volume, the Psalms are presented sequentially. Each has its place in the collection but thirty-five are treated at greater length. They are read, at least in the first two books (Psalms 1-72), as if they were David's words. Beyond that a more complex and developed association between David and the Psalms is demanded. David becomes a figure of hope for a different future and a new royal reign reflecting the reign of Yahweh. Throughout, David remains a model of piety for all who seek to communicate with God in prayer. It is in light of this that later disasters in the life of Israel, especially the Babylonian Exile, can be faced. In the Book of Psalms, the past, in terms of both David's life and the history of Israel, is the key to future well-being and faithfulness."--Back cover.

Renowned and beloved Psalms scholar James Luther Mays shares in this book some of his most influential ideas about the Psalms and shows the reader how this rich Old Testament poetry can be taught and preached in the church. The book's editors, Patrick Miller and Gene Tucker, have carefully brought together Mays's best insights into the meaning of the Psalms and shown us in his sermons how a master with a love for the church handles these beautiful texts.

In an easy-to-read style, Earl Banks has provided us with a very important book for people who have wondered, ‘what are the first five books of the Bible all about?’ Or, ‘what are the Psalms all about?’ Earl answers these questions beautifully. Most Christians spend their time reading the New Testament because that’s the Word of the Lord to the believer in Christ. But Earl shows that the book of the Law was the Word of the Lord to the Psalmist. The more we understand the Book of the Law, written by Moses, the more we can understand the Psalms. Earl shows how to read those books of Moses, and how to understand the Psalms. This is a must read for anyone who would like a deeper understanding of the Old Testament, and especially the book of Psalms.