Interpreting the Psalms: Issues and Approaches

The Book of Psalms has been precious to countless Jewish and Christian believers in many different languages and countries over many centuries. It has expressed their hopes and fears, inspired their faith, and renewed their trust in God. In this way, the spiritual insight and religious heritage of a small number of ancient Israelites has had a profound and lasting impact on humanity.

The Book of Psalms is also of great importance in biblical scholarship. This volume aims to bridge the gap between basic introductions and specialised literature.
– Part 1 presents overviews of current scholarly approaches and Ancient Near Eastern prayer.
– Part 2 covers central themes of distress, praise, king and cult.
– Part 3 gives an interesting sample of approaches concerned with the Psalter’s content and final form.
– Part 4 considers interpretative traditions, seen in the shaping of the canonical Psalter and in later Christian and Jewish texts.

This volume will be a treasure to both students and scholars alike.