How to Read and Understand the Psalms

Description

The Psalms as Christian Lament, a companion volume to The Psalms as Christian Worship, uniquely blends verse-by-verse commentary with a history of Psalms interpretation in the church from the time of the apostles to the present. Bruce Waltke, James Houston, and Erika Moore examine ten lament psalms, including six of the seven traditional penitential psalms, covering Psalms 5, 6, 7, 32, 38, 39, 44, 102, 130, and 143. The authors — experts in the subject area — skillfully establish the meaning of the Hebrew text through careful exegesis and trace the church’s historical interpretation and use of these psalms, highlighting their deep spiritual significance to Christians through the ages. Though C. S. Lewis called the “imprecatory” psalms “contemptible,” Waltke, Houston, and Moore show that they too are profitable for sound doctrine and so for spiritual health, demonstrating that lament is an important aspect of the Christian life.

Written over the course of 1,000 years, the book of Psalms is a collection of religious poetry voicing a wide variety of human emotions expressed in different genres―imprecatory psalms, psalms of praise, and more. It has become one of the most popular books of the Bible, but most readers have only a surface level understanding of the Psalms and how it fits into the larger historical and scriptural context.

In How to Read and Understand the Psalms, Bruce K. Waltke and Fred G. Zaspel give readers tools to learn how to properly interpret and internalize the Psalms. Developed primarily from decades of lectures by Waltke, they explain the various types of psalms, Hebrew poetry, rhetorical techniques, and more. Armed with these tools, believers will discover how the 150 psalms can further fuel their knowledge and love of God.

• Developed Primarily from Lectures by Bruce K. Waltke: A renowned Old Testament scholar, Waltke taught on the Psalms for decades at Dallas Seminary, Regent College, Westminster Theological Seminary, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Knox Theological Seminary
• Ideal for Pastors, Teachers, and Students: Readers will be equipped to read, teach, and preach the Psalms with greater confidence 
• In-Depth: Waltke and Zaspel examine specific psalms verse-by-verse and explain the various ways the psalmists themselves convey their message and how their psalms should be read in light of the biblical canon