The Psalms As Christian Praise

This collaboration by two esteemed evangelical scholars blends a verse-by-verse exposition of select psalms with a history of their interpretation in the church from the time of the apostles to the present. Bruce Waltke, who has been teaching and preaching the book of Psalms for over fifty years, skillfully establishes the meaning of the Hebrew text through the careful exegesis for which he is well known. James Houston traces the church's historical interpretation and use of these psalms, highlighting their deep spiritual significance to Christians through the ages. Waltke and Houston focus their in-depth commentary on thirteen psalms that represent various genres and perspectives or hold special significance for Christian faith and the life of the church, including Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Psalm 51, and Psalm 139. While much modern scholarship has tended to "despiritualize" the Psalms, Waltke and Houston's "sacred hermeneutic" listens closely to the two voices of the Holy Spirit heard infallibly in Scripture and edifyingly in the church's response. A masterly historical-devotional commentary, The Psalms as Christian Worship will deepen the church's worship and enrich the faith and life of contemporary Christians. - Publisher.

Two respected scholars explore the heart of the Psalms Following in the style of their companion volumes, The Psalms as Christian Worship and The Psalms as Christian Lament, Bruce Waltke and James Houston now explore the depths of Christian praise. Each volume uniquely blends verse-by-verse commentary with a history of Psalms interpretation in the church from the time of the apostles to the present. Since praise is the essence of the book of Psalms, Waltke and Houston have narrowed the focus to Book IV of the Psalter (Psalms 90-106), which magnify God and proclaim him king. To give voice to the psalmist, the authors (carefully) translate and explain each psalm and summarize its theological message. This is followed by listening to the voice of godly churchmen whose comments have stood the test of time. The Psalms as Christian Praise is ideal for anyone seeking to better understand the praise of Israel as found in the Psalms and how Christians also use these Psalms in worship.

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.

Christian scholars write to inspire renewed interest in actively praying, reciting, and singing the Psalms in personal and corporate times of worship, citing its biblical basis and historical emphasis.

The biblical Psalms in Christian worship : a brief introduction and guide to resources by John D. Witvliet (2007).

An indispensable resource for students and scholars, The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms features a diverse array of essays that treat the Psalms from a variety of perspectives. Classical scholarship and approaches as well as contextual interpretations and practices are well represented. The coverage is uniquely wide ranging.

We lift up the psalms to God as our prayers. We borrow the language of these ancient texts, and they become our works. We are not secondhand recipients of Gods word but communicants actively in conversation with God. What seems to set the Psalms apart from the rest of Scripture is their sacramental nature, their unique ability to mold and transform the believer. The Psalter for Christian Worshipreclaims the Psalms for congregational worship with new texts set to familiar hymnal tunes. This collection, for worship leaders, musicians, and congregations, will inspire both corporate and private devotions.Features include: The Old Testament flavor of the Psalter is retained with new sensitivity to imagery and inclusive language; all 150 psalms have been converted into hymns of reasonable length to be sung in church; an index of suggested hymn tunes is included; and an index for liturgical use is also provided.