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Praying the Psalms: To Touch God and Be Touched by Him
The Psalms are about passion, and you should feel passionately when you read them. The Psalmist poured out his soul to God concerning the things that deeply moved him. As you read the Psalms, you are taking a peak into his heart. As you do you will cry when he weeps, shout when he rejoices, burn when he gets angry and fall on your face when he worships God.aPraying the Psalms is a wonderful way to meet God every day in your private devotions. You cannot get closer to God than when you pray the Scriptures, since the book of Psalms reflects the heart of God. Therefore, you will get close to His heart when you pray the Psalms. OCoDR. BILL BRIGHT Praying the Psalms carefully shapes the Psalms into personal prayers enabling you to identify with the Psalmist as he prayed. Dr. Towns delicately presents the Psalms as a living language that will move you from your feet to your knees."
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
534 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Elmer L. Towns
337 books48 followersDr. Elmer Towns is a college and seminary professor, an author of popular and scholarly works (the editor of two encyclopedias), a popular seminar lecturer, and dedicated worker in Sunday school, and has developed over 20 resource packets for leadership education. He began teaching at Midwest Bible College, St. Louis, Missouri, for three years and was not satisfied with his textbooks so he began writing his own (he has published over 100 books listed in the Library of Congress, 7 listed in the Christian Booksellers Best Selling List; several becoming accepted as college textbooks. He is also the 1995 recipient of the coveted Gold Medallion Award awarded by the Christian Booksellers Association for writing the Book of the Year, i.e., The Names of the Holy Spirit.
He was President of Winnipeg Bible College for five years, leading it to receive American Accreditation and Provincial authority to offer degrees (1960-1965). He taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in greater Chicago, Illinois, in the field of Religious Education and Evangelism (1965-1971).
He is co-founder of Liberty University, with Jerry Falwell, in 1971, and was the only full-time teacher in the first year of Liberty's existence. Today, the University has over 11,400 students on campus with 39,000 in the Distance Learning Program (now Liberty University Online), and he is the Dean of the School of Religion.
Dr. Towns has given theological lectures and taught intensive seminars at over 50 theological seminaries in America and abroad. He holds visiting professorship rank in five seminaries. He has written over 2,000 reference and/or popular articles and received six honorary doctoral degrees. Four doctoral dissertations have analyzed his contribution to religious education and evangelism.
His personal education includes a B.S. from Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a M.A. from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary also in Dallas, a MRE from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
He was President of Winnipeg Bible College for five years, leading it to receive American Accreditation and Provincial authority to offer degrees (1960-1965). He taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in greater Chicago, Illinois, in the field of Religious Education and Evangelism (1965-1971).
He is co-founder of Liberty University, with Jerry Falwell, in 1971, and was the only full-time teacher in the first year of Liberty's existence. Today, the University has over 11,400 students on campus with 39,000 in the Distance Learning Program (now Liberty University Online), and he is the Dean of the School of Religion.
Dr. Towns has given theological lectures and taught intensive seminars at over 50 theological seminaries in America and abroad. He holds visiting professorship rank in five seminaries. He has written over 2,000 reference and/or popular articles and received six honorary doctoral degrees. Four doctoral dissertations have analyzed his contribution to religious education and evangelism.
His personal education includes a B.S. from Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a M.A. from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary also in Dallas, a MRE from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 28, 2018
I've been fascinated by the Psalms for the past couple of years and I grab anything I find that helps me 'experience' them.
This book is a very useful way of experiencing the full gamut of emotions the Psalms emit. Towns stays true to the full context of the words but provides a more intimate form of reading them, well, in fact, praying them. I prayed one per day for 150 days.
Towns also provides some background on the various groups of Psalms which I also found particularly enlightening.
I wholly recommend soaking in the Psalms because one comes to get a better understanding of God's heart. And this interpretation is a very useful way of experiencing them. I intend to start all over again tomorrow.
This book is a very useful way of experiencing the full gamut of emotions the Psalms emit. Towns stays true to the full context of the words but provides a more intimate form of reading them, well, in fact, praying them. I prayed one per day for 150 days.
Towns also provides some background on the various groups of Psalms which I also found particularly enlightening.
I wholly recommend soaking in the Psalms because one comes to get a better understanding of God's heart. And this interpretation is a very useful way of experiencing them. I intend to start all over again tomorrow.
March 9, 2018
Uplifting
How can you say anything against the Psalms? Rev Towns' interpretation is contemporary in the translation yet, necessarily, eternal in the meaning. I was disquieted at the vehemence, even violence, of the emotions especially regarding the prayers for destruction of enemies. However, the Old Testament is filled with such images, characters and plots in line with the ethos of the civilizations of the day. Christianity introduces a God of love and forgiveness rather than One of anger, wrath and retribution.
i
How can you say anything against the Psalms? Rev Towns' interpretation is contemporary in the translation yet, necessarily, eternal in the meaning. I was disquieted at the vehemence, even violence, of the emotions especially regarding the prayers for destruction of enemies. However, the Old Testament is filled with such images, characters and plots in line with the ethos of the civilizations of the day. Christianity introduces a God of love and forgiveness rather than One of anger, wrath and retribution.
i
July 9, 2020
Praying the Psalms
The Psalms are my favorite chapters in the Old Testament. This book did not disappoint me! This is the best book I've ever read on the explanation of the Psalms. Elmer has done a fabulous job of giving background & history of the Psalms. Thank you, Elmer, for writing this great book!
The Psalms are my favorite chapters in the Old Testament. This book did not disappoint me! This is the best book I've ever read on the explanation of the Psalms. Elmer has done a fabulous job of giving background & history of the Psalms. Thank you, Elmer, for writing this great book!
March 9, 2018
Good to use as a daily devotional.
Elmer Towns is a good Bible scholar who has turned the Psalms into prayers. This book gives the reader a fresh perspective on the book of Psalms.
Elmer Towns is a good Bible scholar who has turned the Psalms into prayers. This book gives the reader a fresh perspective on the book of Psalms.
February 6, 2019
Taking in The Psalms
I needed them, but didn’t like some of them! Important for all to keep reading them. Thank you for this book.
I needed them, but didn’t like some of them! Important for all to keep reading them. Thank you for this book.
May 22, 2019
Praying The psalm is very effective, and God and his word are one.
October 15, 2022
Enlightening
This book was helpful in deepening my understanding, appreciation, and love for the Psalms. I shall be referring to it often.
This book was helpful in deepening my understanding, appreciation, and love for the Psalms. I shall be referring to it often.
April 30, 2020
The psalms rewritten in modern language with background information and introductions to different sections of the book. I enjoyed the fresh perspective it gave to me and I frequently went back to the Bible to see how a passage was originally written. I enjoyed this study of the Psalms and will read this book again.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews