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The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms
Though frequently used in times of crisis or pain, the book of Psalms is often misread or misunderstood, seeming like a disorganized jumble of prayer, praise, and lament. To help readers get more out of the Psalms, renowned Old Testament scholar Gordon Wenham highlights its foundational place for all Christian worship and spiritual formation. This compilation of eight lectures delivered between 1997 and 2010 teaches the practices of singing, reading, and praying the Psalms, paying special attention to the Psalter’s canonical structure, messianic focus, and ethical goal. In drawing on his extensive academic and scholarly experience, Wenham has crafted a guide for discovering afresh the manifold wonders of this beautiful and surprisingly complex portion of the Bible.
208 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2013
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226 people want to read
About the author
Gordon J. Wenham
47 books26 followersGordon J. Wenham was a Reformed British Old Testament scholar and writer. He has authored several books about the Bible. Tremper Longman has called him "one of the finest evangelical commentators today."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 28, 2020
This is a collection of eight lectures on the Psalms that Wenham delivered at various places. The oldest dates to 1997, the most recent to 2010. Due to the fact that all the lectures deal with the Psalms, there is some repetition and overlap. Nonetheless, I found this a very helpful treatment of many aspects of the Psalms. The lectures are substantive but clear and non-technical. I found most helpful the three lectures: Reading the Psalms Messianically, The Imprecatory Psalms, The Nations in the Psalms. Highly receommended, especially for preachers.
April 20, 2015
This book is a collection of lectures of varying levels. There is some good introductory material in the first chapter about how Psalms have been used, and how saying something is an action 'not just words'. Wenham also makes an interesting point that it would have been the psalms that ordinary Israelites would have known best of all scriptures in Old Testament times (as is probably the case in modern Judaism).
A more general overview however is in the second chapter 'Praying the Psalms' which looks a each genre of psalmody in turn. Here there is an initial treatment of the problem of the imprecatory psalms which is helpfully developed further in a later chapter. Other chapters looking at the psalms canonically and ethically open up new ways of thinking about the psalms. The last chapter on the nations in the psalms was rather tedious be comparison.
One quirk of the book is the slight repetition of some things from one lecture to another.
Overall a helpful and scholarly introduction. But as is so often the case don't look here for how actually to integrate psalms into modern church worship.
A more general overview however is in the second chapter 'Praying the Psalms' which looks a each genre of psalmody in turn. Here there is an initial treatment of the problem of the imprecatory psalms which is helpfully developed further in a later chapter. Other chapters looking at the psalms canonically and ethically open up new ways of thinking about the psalms. The last chapter on the nations in the psalms was rather tedious be comparison.
One quirk of the book is the slight repetition of some things from one lecture to another.
Overall a helpful and scholarly introduction. But as is so often the case don't look here for how actually to integrate psalms into modern church worship.
May 1, 2013
Wenham has pulled together several presentations, reworked them, and put them in this book. It is a good introduction into reading the Psalms in their canonical context, how to do it, and the benefits of doing it. This work is mildly technical, very accessible for laymen, while being extremely useful to pastors. The material is slightly redundant, which is actually helpful in this book, for the sake of hammering home his major points. The redundancy is also helpful in helping the reader to practice reading the Psalms in this way.If Goodreads had a "half-star" I would have rated this book at 4 1/2 stars.
The full review can be found on my blog:
http://mphilliber.blogspot.com/2013/0...
Mike
The full review can be found on my blog:
http://mphilliber.blogspot.com/2013/0...
Mike
April 3, 2013
This was a good read, but I think Wenham's Psalms as Torah is a better, more comprehensive read that covers pretty much the same ground. It's also a more cohesive work, whereas this is a collection of essays and lectures, some of which have been previously published elsewhere (interestingly, not in Psalms as Torah).
April 11, 2013
A great, short introduction to the Psalms. User-friendly, accessible and insightful. A full review of this resource will be posted on my blog on 4/11/2013
July 19, 2013
Good intro to interpreting the Psalms, especially as relates to the canonical form of the 150.
May 3, 2013
The Psalms are arguably one of the most well known yet perhaps most overlooked portion of Scripture when it comes to understanding the theological depth they contain. Many of the Psalms have been a source of comfort for believers most notably the 23rd Psalm with its depiction of God guiding and protecting His people no matter what may befall them. With that said, do we really understand or comprehend how to study the Psalms from a hermeneutical and exegetical approach? Dr. Gordon Wenham, in his book The Psalter Reclaimed provides a helpful and lucid approach to gaining a more in-depth understanding of the Psalms.
Wenham rightly notes the Psalms are in essence a mini-Bible, providing an overview of biblical events such as creation, the conquest of Canaan, the life of King David, temple worship, the time of the exile as well as vastly deep theological concepts such as the character of God and His dealings with sinful man.
Yet another interesting aspect of the Psalms is the manner in which they were written. Given the fact most people today do not read the Psalms in Hebrew, many of the beautiful poetic elements of the Psalms that are present in the original language have been “lost in translation” so to speak. Wenham aptly reminds the reader of the ability of ancient societies such as the Greeks and the Hebrews to set large amounts of information to memory. This is an important concept to grasp, especially when reading the Psalms. In many churches today, Psalms have been turned into worship songs and rightly so as the Psalter is replete with the message of praise and adoration to God. What many perhaps forget is the Israelites often sung what became known as the Psalter on various occasions and at numerous events throughout the year. The Psalms were written in such a manner as to promote memorization. Wenham comments “Not only does the content make the Psalter useful as a summary of the Old Testament and its teaching, but there are many features that may be viewed as aids to memory.” It is those features that Wenham spends the vast remainder of his book engaging.
Wenham first outlines the different categories of Psalms such as the Psalms of Praise, Psalms of Lament, Penitential Psalms, and Messianic Psalms. Subsumed within those categories are subsets of Psalms that further elaborate on for example various types of praise psalms or Messianic Psalms. When the reader of the Psalter understands what type of Psalm they are reading, it is much easier to understand the context, connect the historical event that is being described by the Psalmist to a particular Psalm, and most importantly to properly apply the message of that particular Psalm within the grand context of Scripture.
The next method of studying the Psalms Wenham addresses is viewing and understanding them by how they are arranged within the Psalter as a whole. This approach largely began under the influence of Gerald Wilson’s book, The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter. While other scholars had presented the importance of understanding how the Psalter was arranged, it was Wilson’s book that presented a holistic approach on this issue. Wenham provides an interesting quote from Wilson that elaborates on why one should be cognizant of the arrangement of the Psalter:
“The effect of the editorial fixation of the first psalm as an introduction to the whole Psalter is subtly to alter how the reader views and appreciates the psalms collected there. The emphasis is now on meditation rather than cultic performance; private, individual use over public, communal participation. In a strange transformation, Israel’s words of response to her God have not become the Word of God to Israel.”
Wenham also saliently discusses the importance of recognizing the titles given to the individual Psalms as a means of comprehending the subject matter of that Psalm. Often, the title bears some attribution of the authorship of that Psalm, although titles such as “by David” often meant they were a Psalm about David and not specifically by him.
Most believers are likely aware of the many Messianic themed Psalms. For those who are not, a Psalm is considered Messianic if it predicts or discusses the life of the Messiah. Sometimes it is difficult to assert which Psalms are truly Messianic in nature given the idea of the Messiah is multi-faceted within Old Testament Jewish thought. In this section, Wenham critically analyzes a number of scholarly approaches to the Messianic understanding of the Psalms, noting where some scholars succumbed to liberal theological approaches and where others have stayed true to the text at hand. This was a very fascinating chapter especially given the subject matter. Wenham does a great job of analyzing the various potential Messianic psalms noting key terms to look for, in particular references to David, noting the importance of understanding the reality that some of these Psalms are specifically related to David, others related to David and the Messiah, and some specifically speak of the Messiah.
Another fascinating element of The Psalter Reclaimed is the discussion on the ethical value contained in the Psalter. Quite honestly, this was an approach I had not thought much about and one that was not discussed even in graduate level classes on the Psalms. Wenham rightly notes the scarcity of scholarly work on this element of theological research on the Psalms so it was certainly valuable for him to engage this topic in his book. He avers “The Psalms are first and foremost prayers, so they constantly bring God into the picture, not least in their ethical statements. God’s character is constantly appealed to as the guarantor of the ethical system: he will ensure that the wicked are punished, and the righteous are rewarded. But more than that, God’s actions are often seen as a model for human behavior.” This concept is perhaps most applicable when it comes to understand the purpose of what are called the Imprecatory Psalms, the Psalms that speak of God judging the wicked. While the Psalmist certainly calls for God to smite the wicked, it is always within the framework of allowing God to be the righteous Judge, with calls for personal vindictiveness completely absent from the conversation.
The Psalter Reclaimed is a valuable book for anyone who desires to engage the Psalms on any number of levels. It is written in such a manner that scholars and layman alike will appreciate its depth and ease of reading. Wenham stands firm on a sound theological approach to the Psalter, rejecting liberal scholarship in favor of letting God’s Word speak. His consistently excellent exegesis of the Psalms is greatly appreciated. I highly recommend this book given the value the Psalms provide the believer and given the reality that most people have only a surface level understanding of the vast theological depth this book of Scripture has within its pages.
I received this book for free from Crossway for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Wenham rightly notes the Psalms are in essence a mini-Bible, providing an overview of biblical events such as creation, the conquest of Canaan, the life of King David, temple worship, the time of the exile as well as vastly deep theological concepts such as the character of God and His dealings with sinful man.
Yet another interesting aspect of the Psalms is the manner in which they were written. Given the fact most people today do not read the Psalms in Hebrew, many of the beautiful poetic elements of the Psalms that are present in the original language have been “lost in translation” so to speak. Wenham aptly reminds the reader of the ability of ancient societies such as the Greeks and the Hebrews to set large amounts of information to memory. This is an important concept to grasp, especially when reading the Psalms. In many churches today, Psalms have been turned into worship songs and rightly so as the Psalter is replete with the message of praise and adoration to God. What many perhaps forget is the Israelites often sung what became known as the Psalter on various occasions and at numerous events throughout the year. The Psalms were written in such a manner as to promote memorization. Wenham comments “Not only does the content make the Psalter useful as a summary of the Old Testament and its teaching, but there are many features that may be viewed as aids to memory.” It is those features that Wenham spends the vast remainder of his book engaging.
Wenham first outlines the different categories of Psalms such as the Psalms of Praise, Psalms of Lament, Penitential Psalms, and Messianic Psalms. Subsumed within those categories are subsets of Psalms that further elaborate on for example various types of praise psalms or Messianic Psalms. When the reader of the Psalter understands what type of Psalm they are reading, it is much easier to understand the context, connect the historical event that is being described by the Psalmist to a particular Psalm, and most importantly to properly apply the message of that particular Psalm within the grand context of Scripture.
The next method of studying the Psalms Wenham addresses is viewing and understanding them by how they are arranged within the Psalter as a whole. This approach largely began under the influence of Gerald Wilson’s book, The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter. While other scholars had presented the importance of understanding how the Psalter was arranged, it was Wilson’s book that presented a holistic approach on this issue. Wenham provides an interesting quote from Wilson that elaborates on why one should be cognizant of the arrangement of the Psalter:
“The effect of the editorial fixation of the first psalm as an introduction to the whole Psalter is subtly to alter how the reader views and appreciates the psalms collected there. The emphasis is now on meditation rather than cultic performance; private, individual use over public, communal participation. In a strange transformation, Israel’s words of response to her God have not become the Word of God to Israel.”
Wenham also saliently discusses the importance of recognizing the titles given to the individual Psalms as a means of comprehending the subject matter of that Psalm. Often, the title bears some attribution of the authorship of that Psalm, although titles such as “by David” often meant they were a Psalm about David and not specifically by him.
Most believers are likely aware of the many Messianic themed Psalms. For those who are not, a Psalm is considered Messianic if it predicts or discusses the life of the Messiah. Sometimes it is difficult to assert which Psalms are truly Messianic in nature given the idea of the Messiah is multi-faceted within Old Testament Jewish thought. In this section, Wenham critically analyzes a number of scholarly approaches to the Messianic understanding of the Psalms, noting where some scholars succumbed to liberal theological approaches and where others have stayed true to the text at hand. This was a very fascinating chapter especially given the subject matter. Wenham does a great job of analyzing the various potential Messianic psalms noting key terms to look for, in particular references to David, noting the importance of understanding the reality that some of these Psalms are specifically related to David, others related to David and the Messiah, and some specifically speak of the Messiah.
Another fascinating element of The Psalter Reclaimed is the discussion on the ethical value contained in the Psalter. Quite honestly, this was an approach I had not thought much about and one that was not discussed even in graduate level classes on the Psalms. Wenham rightly notes the scarcity of scholarly work on this element of theological research on the Psalms so it was certainly valuable for him to engage this topic in his book. He avers “The Psalms are first and foremost prayers, so they constantly bring God into the picture, not least in their ethical statements. God’s character is constantly appealed to as the guarantor of the ethical system: he will ensure that the wicked are punished, and the righteous are rewarded. But more than that, God’s actions are often seen as a model for human behavior.” This concept is perhaps most applicable when it comes to understand the purpose of what are called the Imprecatory Psalms, the Psalms that speak of God judging the wicked. While the Psalmist certainly calls for God to smite the wicked, it is always within the framework of allowing God to be the righteous Judge, with calls for personal vindictiveness completely absent from the conversation.
The Psalter Reclaimed is a valuable book for anyone who desires to engage the Psalms on any number of levels. It is written in such a manner that scholars and layman alike will appreciate its depth and ease of reading. Wenham stands firm on a sound theological approach to the Psalter, rejecting liberal scholarship in favor of letting God’s Word speak. His consistently excellent exegesis of the Psalms is greatly appreciated. I highly recommend this book given the value the Psalms provide the believer and given the reality that most people have only a surface level understanding of the vast theological depth this book of Scripture has within its pages.
I received this book for free from Crossway for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
April 2, 2021
3.5 stars
The psalms are beautiful to pray and sing liturgically and offer comfort and consolation when prayed privately; they are, however, fairly boring to study. Sorry. I guess I am just a narrative person, not a poetry one.
This book is slender and fairly concise - a bit repetitive in places (but based off of lectures and speeches, so no wonder there). Dr. Wenham is quite fond of the psalms and wants to see them restored to a central place in Christian worship (namely the evangelical Protestant tradition to which he belongs). I can groove to that. One of the great joys of entering the Catholic Church for me was that a responsorial psalm is always sung in the midst of the Liturgy of the Word. There is something so very right about coming together to sing these ancient and timeless words as a people.
In his quest to reclaim the Psalter, Wenham offers interpretive and structural guidelines that draw the worshiper into the greater drama hidden within the psalms. He does as good a job as any, I imagine, in working through the various academic and hermeneutical approaches to the Psalter, and, Brit-like, he has some lovely humourous asides to make the journey a bit less painful.
Just as Shakespeare is meant to be played out on the stage rather than read academically, the psalms are meant to be prayed. So, this book was something I was just slogging through, UNTIL the chapter on the imprecatory psalms. This was worth the price of admission, and I now want to get Zenger's book (prodigiously quoted by Wenham) God of Vengeance?, and explore these ideas further. Another grateful hat-tip to Dr. Mark Giszczak, who always assigns his students very good books!
The psalms are beautiful to pray and sing liturgically and offer comfort and consolation when prayed privately; they are, however, fairly boring to study. Sorry. I guess I am just a narrative person, not a poetry one.
This book is slender and fairly concise - a bit repetitive in places (but based off of lectures and speeches, so no wonder there). Dr. Wenham is quite fond of the psalms and wants to see them restored to a central place in Christian worship (namely the evangelical Protestant tradition to which he belongs). I can groove to that. One of the great joys of entering the Catholic Church for me was that a responsorial psalm is always sung in the midst of the Liturgy of the Word. There is something so very right about coming together to sing these ancient and timeless words as a people.
In his quest to reclaim the Psalter, Wenham offers interpretive and structural guidelines that draw the worshiper into the greater drama hidden within the psalms. He does as good a job as any, I imagine, in working through the various academic and hermeneutical approaches to the Psalter, and, Brit-like, he has some lovely humourous asides to make the journey a bit less painful.
Just as Shakespeare is meant to be played out on the stage rather than read academically, the psalms are meant to be prayed. So, this book was something I was just slogging through, UNTIL the chapter on the imprecatory psalms. This was worth the price of admission, and I now want to get Zenger's book (prodigiously quoted by Wenham) God of Vengeance?, and explore these ideas further. Another grateful hat-tip to Dr. Mark Giszczak, who always assigns his students very good books!
May 7, 2017
This book is worth the purchase just for Chapters 1-3. In those chapters, Wenham does a great job of "reclaiming" the two things which probably most been lost when it comes to using and interpreting the psalms.
Chapters 1 and 2 focus on the singing and praying of the psalms, and how they were actually designed to be used as such. He shows how to read the psalms without speaking and singing them is to miss the point of them. He explores the psalms as "speech acts" - things which have a transforming effect on the world and the speaker simply by being uttered.
Chapter 3 is about reading the psalms "canonically" - i.e. as a carefully arranged whole, tied into the rest of the Old Testament scriptures, rather than as a random assortment of poems and songs. Wenham laments just how lacking this approach to the psalms has been widely in our day and age, and insists we need to put it centre stage again. Humbly, he admits that there is still a lot more to understood in a canonical approach to the Psalms.
The rest of the book is great also - Chapter 5 on the ethics of the Psalms is Wenham's specialist area, and Chapter 6 on the imprecatory psalms is the best thing I've read on those psalms outside of Daniel Nehrbass's "Praying Curses".
In terms of accessibility, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. It's quite short and easy to read, but it is essentially a scholarly book, interacting a wide variety of psalm scholarship. I'd recommend to pastors and preachers, and laypeople involved in Bible teaching who like to go that extra bit deeper. A more accessible, "bottom shelf" version of this book would be great.
Chapters 1 and 2 focus on the singing and praying of the psalms, and how they were actually designed to be used as such. He shows how to read the psalms without speaking and singing them is to miss the point of them. He explores the psalms as "speech acts" - things which have a transforming effect on the world and the speaker simply by being uttered.
Chapter 3 is about reading the psalms "canonically" - i.e. as a carefully arranged whole, tied into the rest of the Old Testament scriptures, rather than as a random assortment of poems and songs. Wenham laments just how lacking this approach to the psalms has been widely in our day and age, and insists we need to put it centre stage again. Humbly, he admits that there is still a lot more to understood in a canonical approach to the Psalms.
The rest of the book is great also - Chapter 5 on the ethics of the Psalms is Wenham's specialist area, and Chapter 6 on the imprecatory psalms is the best thing I've read on those psalms outside of Daniel Nehrbass's "Praying Curses".
In terms of accessibility, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. It's quite short and easy to read, but it is essentially a scholarly book, interacting a wide variety of psalm scholarship. I'd recommend to pastors and preachers, and laypeople involved in Bible teaching who like to go that extra bit deeper. A more accessible, "bottom shelf" version of this book would be great.
May 6, 2022
By far my favorite scholastic book on Psalms so far. The ideas that struck me the most were the encouragement to read and study the Psalms canonically and his explanation of "speech acts" and pointing out the all Psalms are vows. It has already greatly enriched my reading of Psalms. Each chapter is basically different speeches he gave but adapted to a book. This means each chapter can be taken individually and that there is some overlap. I actually appreciated the overlap since he explained just a little bit differently each time so it gave further clarification to his ideas. Definitely approachable for the average reader. I disagree with him about imprecatory Psalms. I still don't really see how I as a Christian living a very plush life can pray imprecations upon the enemies of the less fortunate around the world. I still don't think we should pray imprecations on anyone. No discussion questions and wouldn't make a very good small group book.
September 1, 2022
A scholarly look at the construction and usage of the Psalter. Wenham writes as an evangelical Anglican with a passion to see the Psalms restored as a center piece of community worship. His insights offer a fresh perspective that views the Psalms within the context of the canon. Specifically, he demonstrates how the collection was designed for corporate and private worship in five distinct parts, each containing a basic set of motifs.
I especially found his chapter on imprecatory Psalms (i.e., those raw outcries for God to deal with our enemies) to be helpful. He also delves into messianic psalms, the role of the nations in the psalms, ethics and God's lovingkindness. As you read this book you also sense a genuine appreciation for the artistic beauty of the Psalter and also a reverence that attaches spiritual meaning to the research found in the book.
I especially found his chapter on imprecatory Psalms (i.e., those raw outcries for God to deal with our enemies) to be helpful. He also delves into messianic psalms, the role of the nations in the psalms, ethics and God's lovingkindness. As you read this book you also sense a genuine appreciation for the artistic beauty of the Psalter and also a reverence that attaches spiritual meaning to the research found in the book.
October 18, 2017
Great introduction to a canonical reading of the Psalms
Wenham approaches the Psalms from a canonical perspective. That is, he considers their final form and structure and thereby demonstrates a thoroughly Messianic approach that is not allegorical or anachronistic, but is grounded in the text itself and in the longing of the editors of the Psalter to see David's throne re-established in Jerusalem. Fantastic book.
Wenham approaches the Psalms from a canonical perspective. That is, he considers their final form and structure and thereby demonstrates a thoroughly Messianic approach that is not allegorical or anachronistic, but is grounded in the text itself and in the longing of the editors of the Psalter to see David's throne re-established in Jerusalem. Fantastic book.
April 3, 2020
This is a helpful study. Wenham looks at the Psalms and discusses aspects of historical and traditional interpretation, canonical interpretation and criticism, the collection and arrangement of the Psalms, as well as psalmic intertextuality. In some cases he raises issues for investigation without fully committing. Overall, he upheld the eschatological, Messianic thrust of the Psalms. It was an informative and thought provoking study.
November 7, 2021
This book will help you read and learn from the Psalms. It will help you reclaim an appreciation and love for how the whole book comes together but because of the scholarly tone and emphasis, it is not clear to the casual reader how to pray and praise with the Psalm. For that I recommend you get Donald Whitney's book, "Praying the Bible", it's only 112 pages.
Full 3,825 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
Full 3,825 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
January 13, 2024
Not what I expected
From the title of the book I was expecting to learn how to use the psalms in prayer and praise. There is one chapter on praying the psalms but it focuses more on why we should than on how to do it. The book is really about the history of scholarship on the psalms. It was interesting, although very academic, just not what I wanted.
From the title of the book I was expecting to learn how to use the psalms in prayer and praise. There is one chapter on praying the psalms but it focuses more on why we should than on how to do it. The book is really about the history of scholarship on the psalms. It was interesting, although very academic, just not what I wanted.
January 19, 2022
3.5–4 stars
July 29, 2022
an encouraging read. Caused me to consider the psalms in a more connected way.
July 22, 2024
Insightful and helpful for reading and valuing the Psalms - but a pretty intellectual read which was hard to get through at times.
May 22, 2013
An Overview
Chapter 1. What Are We Doing Singing the Psalms? Wenham makes the case that the people of God have been praying and praising with the Psalms from the time of David to the Second Temple to Jesus and the early church, all the way through the Middle Ages and the Reformation, up till the eighteenth century. The reader will also find Wenham use of speech-act theory to explore what we are doing when reciting publicly or singing the Psalms quite instructive.
Chapter 2. Praying the Psalms. Wenham argues that the Psalms are designed to be prayed. With the help of the Apostle Paul, Athanasius and Calvin he makes his case. After lamenting largely the absence of the Psalms in our churches and seminaries, Wenham explores the various uses and categories of the Psalms.
Chapter 3. Reading the Psalms Canonically. This is perhaps the most academic of the work. Here the reader finds Wenham engaging scholars from 1926 to 2005 on the editing of the Psalter to the titles attached to many of them (David, Asaph, etc). Wenham argues that final-form and canonical readings of the Psalter have to take seriously the Psalm titles.
Chapter 4. Reading the Psalms Messianically. Wenham explores what Psalms should be called messianic, how the NT reads them, and how the practice of canonical reading contributes to resolving the issue. After making the point that originally many of the Psalms were not understood messianically, Wenham, however, argues that a historical interpretation is not the last word, by appealing to sensus plenior or fuller sense of what would be called messianic.
Chapter 5. The Ethics of the Psalms. In this chapter Wenham builds on the assumption that people give utterance to their deepest and most fundamental convictions. At the heart of these convictions for the Hebrew people are the Ten Commandments and the character of God.
Chapter 6. The Imprecatory Psalms. Here the reader finds Wenham engaging various works on how best to approach these psalms. In the end, his view may be summed up thus: “To eliminate prayers that God would pour out his wrath on our enemies ‘would reduce the biblical God to a spectator uninterested in this world’” (see my post here).
Chapter 7. Psalm 103: The Song of Steadfast Love. The reader is treated to an exposition here. Wenhams approach is to consider Psalm 103′s place in the Psalter, its connection with other psalms, and its title. The reader will also find more of Wenham and less of his interaction with other works. In good homilectical style, Wenham moves from the text to a modern day application.
Chapter 8. The Nations in the Psalms. This is a treat. Psalm 1 and 2 are seen as providing something of an outline for how the rest of the Psalter should be read. For example, from Psalm 2, Wenham outlines five themes that he finds recurring in the Psalter. He then proceeds to trace these themes throughout the Psalter. Also, in keeping with the title of the chapther, Wenham sees in Psalm 87:4-6 the names of nations that mark the four heavenly quarters: west (Egypt), east (Babylon), north (the land of the Philistines and Tyre), and south (Cush), and how these nations, once Israel’s traditional great enemies, are being granted citizenship of Jerusalem, “this one was born there.”
A Critique
First, I believe the sub-title of the book is a bit misleading, “Praying and Praising with the Psalms.” It would have been better titled: The Psalter Reclaimed: An Introduction. Why do I say this? Well, the reader seeing this title is looking for a work that is somewhat practical, helping him or her to truly pray and praise with the Psalms. But the average lay reader will find Wenham’s work is more academic than practical.
Second, apart from chapter 7, “Psalm 103: The Son of Steadfast Love,” the reader finds himself reading more about what others say rather than what Wenham says, on too many issues. As a reader I was hoping to hear more of Wenham. But as I said above, this work would better serve the reader as an introduction.
Conclusion
More on the positive side, the reader gets a better feel for the structure of the Psalm. Rather than viewing it as a collection of isolated psalms, Wenham drawing on the final editor(s) of the Psalter, convinces the reader that their is indeed structure–five books, patterned after the Pentateuch, and that each psalm must be read in connection with other psalms, and the Psalter as a whole.
Despite my hiccups, as an introduction (I don’t know if Wenham himself is responsible for the book’s title), I find The Psalter Reclaimed a solid contribution.
Chapter 1. What Are We Doing Singing the Psalms? Wenham makes the case that the people of God have been praying and praising with the Psalms from the time of David to the Second Temple to Jesus and the early church, all the way through the Middle Ages and the Reformation, up till the eighteenth century. The reader will also find Wenham use of speech-act theory to explore what we are doing when reciting publicly or singing the Psalms quite instructive.
Chapter 2. Praying the Psalms. Wenham argues that the Psalms are designed to be prayed. With the help of the Apostle Paul, Athanasius and Calvin he makes his case. After lamenting largely the absence of the Psalms in our churches and seminaries, Wenham explores the various uses and categories of the Psalms.
Chapter 3. Reading the Psalms Canonically. This is perhaps the most academic of the work. Here the reader finds Wenham engaging scholars from 1926 to 2005 on the editing of the Psalter to the titles attached to many of them (David, Asaph, etc). Wenham argues that final-form and canonical readings of the Psalter have to take seriously the Psalm titles.
Chapter 4. Reading the Psalms Messianically. Wenham explores what Psalms should be called messianic, how the NT reads them, and how the practice of canonical reading contributes to resolving the issue. After making the point that originally many of the Psalms were not understood messianically, Wenham, however, argues that a historical interpretation is not the last word, by appealing to sensus plenior or fuller sense of what would be called messianic.
Chapter 5. The Ethics of the Psalms. In this chapter Wenham builds on the assumption that people give utterance to their deepest and most fundamental convictions. At the heart of these convictions for the Hebrew people are the Ten Commandments and the character of God.
Chapter 6. The Imprecatory Psalms. Here the reader finds Wenham engaging various works on how best to approach these psalms. In the end, his view may be summed up thus: “To eliminate prayers that God would pour out his wrath on our enemies ‘would reduce the biblical God to a spectator uninterested in this world’” (see my post here).
Chapter 7. Psalm 103: The Song of Steadfast Love. The reader is treated to an exposition here. Wenhams approach is to consider Psalm 103′s place in the Psalter, its connection with other psalms, and its title. The reader will also find more of Wenham and less of his interaction with other works. In good homilectical style, Wenham moves from the text to a modern day application.
Chapter 8. The Nations in the Psalms. This is a treat. Psalm 1 and 2 are seen as providing something of an outline for how the rest of the Psalter should be read. For example, from Psalm 2, Wenham outlines five themes that he finds recurring in the Psalter. He then proceeds to trace these themes throughout the Psalter. Also, in keeping with the title of the chapther, Wenham sees in Psalm 87:4-6 the names of nations that mark the four heavenly quarters: west (Egypt), east (Babylon), north (the land of the Philistines and Tyre), and south (Cush), and how these nations, once Israel’s traditional great enemies, are being granted citizenship of Jerusalem, “this one was born there.”
A Critique
First, I believe the sub-title of the book is a bit misleading, “Praying and Praising with the Psalms.” It would have been better titled: The Psalter Reclaimed: An Introduction. Why do I say this? Well, the reader seeing this title is looking for a work that is somewhat practical, helping him or her to truly pray and praise with the Psalms. But the average lay reader will find Wenham’s work is more academic than practical.
Second, apart from chapter 7, “Psalm 103: The Son of Steadfast Love,” the reader finds himself reading more about what others say rather than what Wenham says, on too many issues. As a reader I was hoping to hear more of Wenham. But as I said above, this work would better serve the reader as an introduction.
Conclusion
More on the positive side, the reader gets a better feel for the structure of the Psalm. Rather than viewing it as a collection of isolated psalms, Wenham drawing on the final editor(s) of the Psalter, convinces the reader that their is indeed structure–five books, patterned after the Pentateuch, and that each psalm must be read in connection with other psalms, and the Psalter as a whole.
Despite my hiccups, as an introduction (I don’t know if Wenham himself is responsible for the book’s title), I find The Psalter Reclaimed a solid contribution.
February 18, 2017
Psalms has long been my favorite book of the Bible. I have said for years that I don't think it's an accident that they are in the center of the Bible. In most non-study editions, you can open the book in the middle and you will find yourself in Psalms. And in Psalms you can find prayers that address pretty much every emotion that you will ever experience. Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it "The Prayer Book of the Bible."
In The Psalter Reclaimed, Gordon J. Wenham gives us a brief, but somewhat in depth discussion of the book of Psalms. He discusses singing the Psalms and why we should do that. He speaks of praying the Psalms and why we should do that. There are a couple of chapters on how we should read the Psalms. I confess that those got a little over my head, because he began talking about different types of biblical criticism, which I have done little to no study about.
But one thing I did learn in those chapters is that Wenham, as well as other theologians, definitely believe that the arrangement of the Psalms into five distinct "books" is no accident. They are not randomly thrown together. There seems to be a reason for the order and placement of these prayers and songs. Therefore, Gordon believes that each of the Psalms should be read, sung, prayed in context with the entirety of the rest of the book.
There is even a chapter on "The Ethics of the Psalms," in which Wenham addresses an issue that has not been touched on very much, and that is that the Psalms are also good for teaching the law of God.
He also has a chapter on the somewhat controversial "emprecatory" Psalms. You know, the ones where the psalmist prays that the enemy's babies will be dashed against the rocks? These, he believes are necessary for us to pray and sing, as well. Even though we, ourselves, do not have such enemies as David and Israel had, when we pray these prayers, we could be praying them for people in the world who DO have such enemies, people who are oppressed in other nations. Gordon disagrees with those would completely remove these from their prayerbooks.
There is a Greek word that Wenham addresses in the next to last chapter, and that word is "hesed." This is a word that, out of all the times found in the Old Testament, more than half of them are in the Psalms. It simply means "steadfast love." And perhaps the best example of the usage of that word is in Psalm 103. Gordon provides us with an in depth look at that Psalm in chapter 7.
Finally, he addresses "The Nations in the Psalms." This topic turned out to be more complex for him than he realized it would be.
All of these chapters were given as lectures at various places in the world, and, I believe, edited slightly for book form.
This is a wonderful overview of Psalms, and I recommend it for anyone who is as fascinated with the book as I am. I do plan on reading this one again, more slowly and taking note of each individual Psalm that is referenced throughout the book.
In The Psalter Reclaimed, Gordon J. Wenham gives us a brief, but somewhat in depth discussion of the book of Psalms. He discusses singing the Psalms and why we should do that. He speaks of praying the Psalms and why we should do that. There are a couple of chapters on how we should read the Psalms. I confess that those got a little over my head, because he began talking about different types of biblical criticism, which I have done little to no study about.
But one thing I did learn in those chapters is that Wenham, as well as other theologians, definitely believe that the arrangement of the Psalms into five distinct "books" is no accident. They are not randomly thrown together. There seems to be a reason for the order and placement of these prayers and songs. Therefore, Gordon believes that each of the Psalms should be read, sung, prayed in context with the entirety of the rest of the book.
There is even a chapter on "The Ethics of the Psalms," in which Wenham addresses an issue that has not been touched on very much, and that is that the Psalms are also good for teaching the law of God.
He also has a chapter on the somewhat controversial "emprecatory" Psalms. You know, the ones where the psalmist prays that the enemy's babies will be dashed against the rocks? These, he believes are necessary for us to pray and sing, as well. Even though we, ourselves, do not have such enemies as David and Israel had, when we pray these prayers, we could be praying them for people in the world who DO have such enemies, people who are oppressed in other nations. Gordon disagrees with those would completely remove these from their prayerbooks.
There is a Greek word that Wenham addresses in the next to last chapter, and that word is "hesed." This is a word that, out of all the times found in the Old Testament, more than half of them are in the Psalms. It simply means "steadfast love." And perhaps the best example of the usage of that word is in Psalm 103. Gordon provides us with an in depth look at that Psalm in chapter 7.
Finally, he addresses "The Nations in the Psalms." This topic turned out to be more complex for him than he realized it would be.
All of these chapters were given as lectures at various places in the world, and, I believe, edited slightly for book form.
This is a wonderful overview of Psalms, and I recommend it for anyone who is as fascinated with the book as I am. I do plan on reading this one again, more slowly and taking note of each individual Psalm that is referenced throughout the book.
October 9, 2013
I found that my favorite sections of this book were Wenham's quotes of Erich Zenger's book "A God of Vengeance? Understanding the Psalms of Divine Wrath."
"According to Zenger, modern Christians have forgotten or suppressed the idea that the day of judgment is to bring justice to the victims of injustice - a day when God will restore the world to what it should be - and to confront the wicked with the reality of their sin and its consequences. This failure to bring out God’s ultimate concern to right the world’s wrongs has led to a preaching failure. Zenger asks whether preachers have obscured the fact that the final judgment will bring an end to injustice and liberate those those who have suffered from injustice. He suggests that preachers have tended to denounce the sins of the weak while keeping quiet about the injustices perpetrated by the powerful.
“We must ask, have we in the church not often been responsible for obscuring this liberating meaning of the message about God’s final judgment, because we have preached the word of judgment loudly and urgently to the weak and defenseless, while frequently our preaching has been too soft and half-hearted when directed to the powerful of this earth?”
The Psalms, Zenger argues, address situations where injustice cannot be righted. The sufferer is appealing to God to intervene. These cries for help are not about minor conflicts that could be resolved by greater generosity on the part of the one praying or by the exercise of love of neighbor. Rather those who pray these psalms are crying out about the injustice they suffer and are protesting about the arrogance of the violent. They are impelled by the contradiction posed by the mystery of evil and the presence of evil people in a world supposedly in God’s care. This is not a trivial or selfish complaint: they are protesting not just because they are being hurt, but because God’s justice, goodness and power are at stake. These are not mere grievances about their own suffering; rather they are protests about the challenge that real wickedness poses for believers in an omnipotent God of love. The passion that drives these laments arises from a belief in God’s justice that is called in question by unrestrained evil. This appeal to God for justice does not of course relieve human courts and judges from doing their best to dispense it, but it does reflect the painful reality that human justice will never be perfect, and that in many cases it is a travesty."
"According to Zenger, modern Christians have forgotten or suppressed the idea that the day of judgment is to bring justice to the victims of injustice - a day when God will restore the world to what it should be - and to confront the wicked with the reality of their sin and its consequences. This failure to bring out God’s ultimate concern to right the world’s wrongs has led to a preaching failure. Zenger asks whether preachers have obscured the fact that the final judgment will bring an end to injustice and liberate those those who have suffered from injustice. He suggests that preachers have tended to denounce the sins of the weak while keeping quiet about the injustices perpetrated by the powerful.
“We must ask, have we in the church not often been responsible for obscuring this liberating meaning of the message about God’s final judgment, because we have preached the word of judgment loudly and urgently to the weak and defenseless, while frequently our preaching has been too soft and half-hearted when directed to the powerful of this earth?”
The Psalms, Zenger argues, address situations where injustice cannot be righted. The sufferer is appealing to God to intervene. These cries for help are not about minor conflicts that could be resolved by greater generosity on the part of the one praying or by the exercise of love of neighbor. Rather those who pray these psalms are crying out about the injustice they suffer and are protesting about the arrogance of the violent. They are impelled by the contradiction posed by the mystery of evil and the presence of evil people in a world supposedly in God’s care. This is not a trivial or selfish complaint: they are protesting not just because they are being hurt, but because God’s justice, goodness and power are at stake. These are not mere grievances about their own suffering; rather they are protests about the challenge that real wickedness poses for believers in an omnipotent God of love. The passion that drives these laments arises from a belief in God’s justice that is called in question by unrestrained evil. This appeal to God for justice does not of course relieve human courts and judges from doing their best to dispense it, but it does reflect the painful reality that human justice will never be perfect, and that in many cases it is a travesty."
June 14, 2013
The book is a collection of essays, most of them based on lectures that Wenham has delivered in various places. They are clearly occasional writings, and as such there is some repetition to the book and no unifying theme. Nevertheless, the book is full of insights. For instance, Wenham suggests that the Psalms were collected in a purposeful order that communicates a specific theology. He unpacks arguments for this at various places and in one chapter demonstrates how reading Psalm 103 in light of the surrounding Psalms enriches our understanding of the Psalm. In connection with this canonical approach, Wenham argues that the Psalter is more intentionally messianic that the old form critics would allow. He even suggests that laments may in many cases be messianic since the person speaking in them ascribes to himself better behavior than David can claim in the historical books. Thus the Psalms may well be the part of Scripture Jesus has in mind when he questions his disciples about why they did not recognize that he had to suffer. The chapter on imprecatory Psalms is helpful, and the chapters on singing and praying the Psalms really do encourage the reader to make the Psalms more a part of his worship. This book led be to desire to pray, sing, read, and understand the Psalms better.
March 9, 2016
I've read several treatments of the Psalms since I started on Goodreads (Wright, Longman, Robertson are the ones that come to mind), and this one is a strong contribution to the field. It is more like a series of essays than a coherent narrative, but each essay/chapter is strong. If there is an overarching theme is that we should take the psalms as we have them. We shouldn't try to figure out what they were "used for." We shouldn't debate if the superscriptions are accurate or original. Instead we should consider the text we have, and (this is important) in the order that we have them. It is far from haphazard, and understanding where a psalm falls in the set of 150 goes quite a ways toward understanding its purpose and value.
Lots of other great points, too. The psalms were meant to be singing, for singing DOES something to the person doing the singing. Further, they were meant to be prayed, including the imprecatory ones, even today. Wenham also does a good job of addressing the messianic nature of so many of the psalms without going over the top. There was also a very very strong chapter on the ethics of the psalms (an oft-neglected topic). He shows how an understanding of each of the ten commandments is essential to understanding the concerns of the psalms.
Lots of other great points, too. The psalms were meant to be singing, for singing DOES something to the person doing the singing. Further, they were meant to be prayed, including the imprecatory ones, even today. Wenham also does a good job of addressing the messianic nature of so many of the psalms without going over the top. There was also a very very strong chapter on the ethics of the psalms (an oft-neglected topic). He shows how an understanding of each of the ten commandments is essential to understanding the concerns of the psalms.
December 18, 2015
I heard the author lecture on the Psalms at the University of Ulster about 7 years ago. The meeting was chaired by my current minister and Gordon Wenham is also a former member of my congregation (it really is a small world). At the end of lecture, I asked him a question about the imprecatory psalms, which he answered with remarkable zeal and passion. Such passion for reclaiming the Psalter and restoring it to its rightful (central) place in Christian worship is evident throughout this book. While the author does not claim to be an exclusive psalmody advocate, nonetheless, after reading this volume it is hard not to conclude with Henry Cooke that human hymns are but "Job's comforters" when compared to the psalms. There is too much good stuff in this book (especially in relation to speech-act theory, ethics, imprecations, the Messianic nature of the psalms, and so on) that it is impossible to do it justice in a Goodreads review. The long and the short of it is that this volume is a great book by a great man. I might not stand over every point that Professor Wenham makes, but everyone should make a point of reading it.
February 12, 2014
A good overview of the Psalms. A tad on the academic side, in that it wades into some relatively high octane discussions about schools of interpretation of the psalms, and the history behind the psalms.
Wenham makes a good argument for why we should sing the psalms (including the lament and imprecatory psalms). He also has some very fascinating thoughts on the idea of singing the psalms as an act of oath-taking.
Wenham argues for a canonical reading of the psalms, reading the psalms in relationship to one another.
Wenham makes a good argument for why we should sing the psalms (including the lament and imprecatory psalms). He also has some very fascinating thoughts on the idea of singing the psalms as an act of oath-taking.
Wenham argues for a canonical reading of the psalms, reading the psalms in relationship to one another.
July 25, 2017
I love Wenham's writing. This book is no exception. I thoroughly recommend it as a superb introduction and overview to the psalter for anyone longing for more understanding. In making the case for its reclamation in the circle of corporate worship, he covers broad topics from the main themes present in the psalter, to different modes of interpretation (particularly along the lines of a canonical reading), even to how a Christian should wrestle with the imprecatory psalms. You'll come away from this book having better understood the importance of the psalms for the church today.
July 5, 2014
This collection of essays on the psalms was very insightful. The chapter on praying the psalms was alone worth the price of the book, and definitely the most enlightening for me. It's remarkable how infrequently the psalms find their way into our contemporary worship songs when they were designed expressly for that purpose. Was also struck by the section dealing with what we miss out on when we fail to sing the psalms, most notably, the songs of lament.
October 16, 2015
I really enjoyed the content of "The Psalter Reclaimed" but I was looking for something more about what the subtitle indicates: "Praying and Praising with the Psalms." The book was less Christian Spirituality and more Biblical Studies. The Biblical Studies aspect of it was great because Wenham is an OT boss but I was expecting something more along the lines of the Psalter's role in Christian formation.
January 2, 2014
Recommended. I came away with a better understanding of and deeper appreciation for the Psalms. Wenham advocates and demonstrates the use of canonical criticism. He includes a helpful overview of various approaches to imprecations in the Psalms. And, of all the possible psalms to focus on, he selected 103 to devote an entire chapter to! A man after my own heart.
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