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The psalms challenge and sustain us in a number of ways, and in
times of new challenges to the very fabric of the church, to its
faith, and its values, we need to re-examine these ancient prayers
and songs. This book explores the place and function of the psalms
in Christian prayer, preaching, and worship. Examining the dual
nature of the psalms as both words to God and word from God, the
author brings together the historical experience of the church,
biblical studies and theological reflection to focus on the
application of the psalms in contemporary Christian life. A number
of individual psalms are explored in terms of what they have to say
about prayer or what theological issues they raise for contemporary
life. This book encourages a reclamation of the psalms in the
private and public prayers of the church and in the preaching of
the word.
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.
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.
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