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Psalms for Normal People: A Guide to the Most Relentlessly Theological Book in the Bible
For millennia the psalms have been whispered in prayer, lifted in song, and recited in worship. They are among the most well-known and beloved writings in the Bible. And yet…
Our familiarity with ancient Israel’s sacred songs can obscure their strangeness. Their otherness. Their … well … ancientness.
Join Joshua T. James as he unpacks the biblical scholarship surrounding this enduring collection of poetry and songs, from the ancient psalmists’ cultural, political and theological contexts to the key movements in Psalms’ scholarship. By illuminating the oddities hiding in plain sight, James unveils the wonder and mystery inherent in the psalms, and makes a compelling case for their relevance today.
Our familiarity with ancient Israel’s sacred songs can obscure their strangeness. Their otherness. Their … well … ancientness.
Join Joshua T. James as he unpacks the biblical scholarship surrounding this enduring collection of poetry and songs, from the ancient psalmists’ cultural, political and theological contexts to the key movements in Psalms’ scholarship. By illuminating the oddities hiding in plain sight, James unveils the wonder and mystery inherent in the psalms, and makes a compelling case for their relevance today.
181 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2023
32 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 26, 2023
The books produced by The Bible for Normal People are superb. Having long wanted to study Psalms in depth, this book is an excellent precursor for a serious study.
July 17, 2023
Excellent book. Glowing review follows:
18 years ago, early on in my quest to understand faith and religion, I was at the Cambridge Center for Religious Development (I think that's what it was called; I read about it in Harvey Cox's When Jesus Came To Harvard: Making Moral Choices Today) seeking spiritual direction from a wonderful nun, Sr. Claire Walsh. We talked about many things, and during one of our discussions, I mentioned that I didn't like the Book of Psalms. Sr. Claire said something along the lines of, "I love the Psalms; they are so real and raw." I thought to myself, hmmm. I should learn more about them. And now I have.
I tried to read Lewis's book Reflections on the Psalms and almost died of boredom. I found this book after listening to the podcast "The Bible for Normal People" and I basically inhaled it. Psalms for Normal People: A Guide to the Most Relentlessly Theological Book in the Bible is the exact kind of book of Biblical scholarship that I like: it's accessible, it's not overly long, it's insightful, it's honest, and it teaches me things I don't know. I absolutely loved it, and now I am really interested in reading the Psalms! (See, Sr. Claire? I listen!)
Here are a few of my takeaways:
1. The Psalms are really, really old. No one knows who wrote them. No one knows exactly when they were written. No one really knows how they were used in worship (although it appears that many of them would have been sung). There are words in the Psalms--selah, for example--that appear frequently, yet no one knows what they mean.
2. The Psalms refer to other gods, which shows that the ancient Israelites were not monotheistic (believing in only one god) but rather believed that their particular god was superior (monolatry).
3. There are different genres of psalms (which I knew) and they are structured in a very particular way reflecting the poetics of the ancient Hebrews (which I didn't know).
4. It is unclear on who, how, or why put the psalms were in the order that they are in. The psalms are deeply theological, and reflect the theology of the Jews at the time they were written. Is there a message in their ordering? Hard to say.
5. Here is the thing I hadn't ever considered: the psalms were read by Jesus, and referred to by Jesus. He knew them. With that said, the Gospel writers who were re-telling the stories of Jesus found Jesus in the psalms in a way that Jesus himself didn't! In other words, reading the psalms with the eyes of a Christian (as we do now), reading the psalms with the eyes of a Gospel author (Jewish, trying to make a point about the Messiah), and reading the psalms as a Jew (like Jesus) results in some very different interpretations of their meaning. The idea of varying hermeneutical lenses through which the psalms can be viewed is fascinating.
I find myself with more questions than answers, and I am going to read more on this issue. Highly intriguing to me, to say the least.
One final note: why, you ask, after 18 years, did Michael finally read a book on the psalms? Without too much detail, I recently went through a difficult personal time, and I came across a psalm (thank you, The Chosen!) that spoke to me in a way nothing has for a long time. I'll include it here:
Psalm 77
1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.
17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.
20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
18 years ago, early on in my quest to understand faith and religion, I was at the Cambridge Center for Religious Development (I think that's what it was called; I read about it in Harvey Cox's When Jesus Came To Harvard: Making Moral Choices Today) seeking spiritual direction from a wonderful nun, Sr. Claire Walsh. We talked about many things, and during one of our discussions, I mentioned that I didn't like the Book of Psalms. Sr. Claire said something along the lines of, "I love the Psalms; they are so real and raw." I thought to myself, hmmm. I should learn more about them. And now I have.
I tried to read Lewis's book Reflections on the Psalms and almost died of boredom. I found this book after listening to the podcast "The Bible for Normal People" and I basically inhaled it. Psalms for Normal People: A Guide to the Most Relentlessly Theological Book in the Bible is the exact kind of book of Biblical scholarship that I like: it's accessible, it's not overly long, it's insightful, it's honest, and it teaches me things I don't know. I absolutely loved it, and now I am really interested in reading the Psalms! (See, Sr. Claire? I listen!)
Here are a few of my takeaways:
1. The Psalms are really, really old. No one knows who wrote them. No one knows exactly when they were written. No one really knows how they were used in worship (although it appears that many of them would have been sung). There are words in the Psalms--selah, for example--that appear frequently, yet no one knows what they mean.
2. The Psalms refer to other gods, which shows that the ancient Israelites were not monotheistic (believing in only one god) but rather believed that their particular god was superior (monolatry).
3. There are different genres of psalms (which I knew) and they are structured in a very particular way reflecting the poetics of the ancient Hebrews (which I didn't know).
4. It is unclear on who, how, or why put the psalms were in the order that they are in. The psalms are deeply theological, and reflect the theology of the Jews at the time they were written. Is there a message in their ordering? Hard to say.
5. Here is the thing I hadn't ever considered: the psalms were read by Jesus, and referred to by Jesus. He knew them. With that said, the Gospel writers who were re-telling the stories of Jesus found Jesus in the psalms in a way that Jesus himself didn't! In other words, reading the psalms with the eyes of a Christian (as we do now), reading the psalms with the eyes of a Gospel author (Jewish, trying to make a point about the Messiah), and reading the psalms as a Jew (like Jesus) results in some very different interpretations of their meaning. The idea of varying hermeneutical lenses through which the psalms can be viewed is fascinating.
I find myself with more questions than answers, and I am going to read more on this issue. Highly intriguing to me, to say the least.
One final note: why, you ask, after 18 years, did Michael finally read a book on the psalms? Without too much detail, I recently went through a difficult personal time, and I came across a psalm (thank you, The Chosen!) that spoke to me in a way nothing has for a long time. I'll include it here:
Psalm 77
1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.
17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.
20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
June 28, 2023
This book wasn’t what I was hoping it would be. Instead of teaching theology, this book spent time trying to dismantle what people believe. Theologically I disagree with the author’s interpretation of several issues. I’d actually submit that this author is heretical. I suppose I bend towards a conservative, more literal interpretation of Scripture. I don’t believe God changes, I don’t believe that the Hebrew people believed in many Gods, and I don’t believe you should say certain things in the Bible weren’t actually said, etc. The author kept trying to have the reader bear in mind the context in which the book was written while also trying to thrust his context upon it. Some theology books will stand the test of time. This book is palatable enough, but with its quippy, modern examples, this will not be one of them.
October 19, 2023
Psalms have never been my favorite part of the Bible. Part of it is that I don't generally care much for poetry, but the other part is that the collection found in the Bible seems almost random on the surface.
Psalms for Normal People goes underneath the surface where Joshua James explains the historical, cultural, sociological, literary, and theological foundations that inform how the Psalms may have come about and edited together, and how to use the information to better read the Psalms in the present day. In the end, Psalms can be an important part of personal and corporate liturgy, devotion, and reflection about God.
Psalms for Normal People goes underneath the surface where Joshua James explains the historical, cultural, sociological, literary, and theological foundations that inform how the Psalms may have come about and edited together, and how to use the information to better read the Psalms in the present day. In the end, Psalms can be an important part of personal and corporate liturgy, devotion, and reflection about God.
May 4, 2025
I'm not sure what I expected when I chose to read Psalms for Normal People,but I definitely got more than I bargained for. The author challenged me to read the Psalms and look at the words through the eyes of the original hearers and singers and prayers if the psalms. The challenge came to approach this book of the bible without knowing the end that's coming. It opened my eyes and challenged me and now, I want to know more and go deeper.
January 12, 2024
This book feels like it lurches from topic to topic and theme to theme in a big jumble, which kind of mirrors my experience with the book of Psalms. I think this one is helpful for me as a reminder to take each Psalm individually on it's own terms instead of being so quick to try to put all the Psalms into categories to control them.
December 31, 2023
I enjoyed reading Psalms for Normal People by my friend and Mid-Atlantic CBF Moderator Josh James. It’s both an in-depth look at the Psalms yet written in a way that is easy to follow. It’s “nerdy” and still cool at the same time.
July 12, 2023
I liked it. Didn’t enjoy some of what was just asserted with no backing, but in fairness it’s not meant to be an in depth book.
June 26, 2024
Love this series! I hope they keep making more for every book of the Bible.
June 10, 2023
The ...for Normal People series of books provides an easy access point to Biblical study.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews