Description

The psalms have been at the center of Christian faith and piety for centuries. Now, one of the foremost interpreters of the psalms explores how they can still claim that place today. In this commentary, James L. Mays sets forth what the psalms say about God, creation, humanity, and the life of faith. Mays proceeds with an awareness that the psalms were originally composed for worship, and so he provides an understanding of the psalms as praise and prayer. Individual psalms are treated in one of two ways: either in a concise, descriptive fashion or in the form of expository essays. Those receiving fuller treatment consist of psalms that are prominent in the practice of worship, those that are used in the New Testament, those that are most important to the theology of the church, and those that shed the most light on the Psalter as a whole. One of the few single-volume commentaries on the Book of Psalms, this commentary should remain a standard reference for pastors and teachers for years to come.