How to Read the Psalms / Edition 1

by Tremper Longman, III

Overview

The Psalms possess an enduring fascination for us. For frankness, directness, intensity and intimacy, they are unrivaled in all of Scripture. Somehow the psalmists seem to have anticipated all our awe, desires and frustrations. No wonder Christians have used the Psalms in worship from the earliest times to the present.

Yet the Psalms cause us difficulties when we look at them closely. Their poetry is unfamiliar in form. Many images they use are foreign to us today. And the psalmists sometimes express thoughts that seem unworthy of Scripture.

Tremper Longman gives us the kind of help we need to overcome the distance between the psalmists' world and ours. He explains the various kinds of psalms, the way they were used in Hebrew worship and their relationship to the rest of the Old Testament. Then he looks at how Christians can appropriate their message and insights today. Turning to the art of Old Testament poetry, he explains the use of parallelism and imagery.

Step-by-step suggestions for interpretating the psalms on our own are followed by exercises for further study and reflection. Also included is a helpful guide to commentaries on the Psalms.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900877849413
Publication date:	07/20/1988
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	166
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.49(d)

About the Author

Tremper Longman III (PhD, Yale University) is Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He is also visiting professor of Old Testament at Seattle School of Theology and Psychology and adjunct of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. He lectures regularly at Regent College in Vancouver and the Canadian Theological Seminary in Calgary. Longman is the author or coauthor of over twenty books, including How to Read Genesis, How to Read the Psalms, How to Read Proverbs, Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation, Old Testament Essentials and coeditor of A Complete Literary Guide to the Bible. He and Dan Allender have coauthored Bold Love, Cry of the Soul, Intimate Allies, The Intimate Mystery and the Intimate Marriage Bible studies.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction: An Invitation to the Psalms

Part I: The Psalms Then and Now
1. The Genres of the Psalms
2. The Origin, Development and Use of the Psalms
3. The Psalms: The Heart of the Old Testament
4. A Christian Reading of the Psalms
5. The Psalms: Mirror of the Soul

Part II: The Art of the Psalms
6. Old Testament Poetry
7. Understanding Parallelism
8. Imagery in the Psalms

Part III: A Melody of Psalms
9. Psalm 98: Let All the Earth Praise God, Our Warrior
10. Psalm 69: Lord, I Suffer for Your Sake
11. Psalm 30: Thank You, Lord, for Healing Me!

Epilog

Notes

Answers to the Exercises

Guide to Commentaries

Editorial Reviews

"The Psalms have long been thought of as the great prayer book of the Bible, but that has often been a distinction more noted than lived. No more. Tremper Longman III has given us a guide for not only reading and understanding these classic expressions of the soul-at-depth but also allowing them to form our lives."

John Ortberg

"Longman has a unique gift to make complex biblical ideas clear and understandable. In this introduction to the Psalms, he writes with a scholar's experience and wisdom, and with a pastor's ability to connect Scripture to everyday life and practice. I will continue to use Longman's book not only as a textbook in my courses but also as a resource to help me understand and appreciate the Psalms."

David T. Lamb

"There is no better guide to reading and understanding the biblical Psalms than Tremper Longman. Bringing decades of his expertise to a new culmination in this second edition of How to Read the Psalms, Longman's work continues to be the go-to resource for students, pastors, and all who want to seriously engage the heart of the Old Testament and its anticipation of Jesus Christ."

Karen Jobes

"In this updated introduction to the Psalms, Longman offers readers a solid foundation for understanding and appreciating these beloved Scriptures. In addition to learning about important facets of the Psalms, such as genre and poetics, readers have an opportunity to see interpretation of the Psalms modeled, and even test their understanding with exercises for each chapter. I will be recommending this book to my students, church members, and everyone who wishes to explore this 'mirror of the soul'!"

Elizabeth H. P. Backfish

"Most of us can find the book of Psalms in our Bible by familiarity of touch. It is the most read portion of the Bible for dear and clear reasons. The Psalms attune, evoke, and give voice to some of our deepest struggles and desires. The Psalms are also complex poetic masterpieces that need a thoughtful guide to explicate the full richness of what is read. Tremper is a brilliant and passionate guide whose heart is shaped by the cry of the Psalms and transformed by the promise of Jesus in them. You can't find a better ally than Tremper to read the life-giving gift of the Psalms."

Dan Allender

"With this second edition, Tremper Longman III has placed us all in his debt. With theological and literary sensitivity, and drawing on his wide research on Psalms, he introduces readers to the main issues needed to read Psalms well and the resources that can enable their further reading. A foundational work, this deserves to be read widely."

David Firth

"For over thirty years, countless believers have benefited from How to Read the Psalms. Its secret sauce is its combination of literary guidance on genres and poetry, theological guidance for praying in view of Christ, and practical guidance on how readers can engage personally with God. May this second edition continue to equip the next generation to meet with God through the Psalter."

Andrew Abernethy