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Songs of the Son: Reading the Psalms with the Author of Hebrews
Theological and Devotional Reading of the Psalms through a New Testament Lens
The book of Psalms expresses our human experiences through its beautiful prose. But this Old Testament book is more than just relatable poetry—it reveals a rich theology of God, the nature and work of Jesus, and Christ’s voice hidden in Scripture. The Psalms are the songs of the Son. But how can these songs point to Jesus if they were transcribed centuries before his life and death on the cross?
Songs of the Son explores 9 psalms cited in Hebrews. Each chapter focuses on a single psalm—exploring its role in the argument of the Hebrews, uncovering the psalm’s central themes, and then reexamining the psalm through the lens of Hebrews’ interpretation. Ultimately, readers will gain a better understanding of the Psalter and discover how all Scripture, including the Old Testament, reveals the preincarnate glory of Christ.
Biblical Study on Examines the themes of the Psalms and how the Bible presents Jesus in the Psalter Perfect for Small-Group Contains short chapters and reflection questions that make it suitable for weekly Bible study Format that Prompts Each chapter looks at every psalm twice, allowing readers to fully grasp the meaning of the psalm through Hebrews’s interpretive lens Written for everyday Christians who want to explore the book of Psalms on a deeper level
The book of Psalms expresses our human experiences through its beautiful prose. But this Old Testament book is more than just relatable poetry—it reveals a rich theology of God, the nature and work of Jesus, and Christ’s voice hidden in Scripture. The Psalms are the songs of the Son. But how can these songs point to Jesus if they were transcribed centuries before his life and death on the cross?
Songs of the Son explores 9 psalms cited in Hebrews. Each chapter focuses on a single psalm—exploring its role in the argument of the Hebrews, uncovering the psalm’s central themes, and then reexamining the psalm through the lens of Hebrews’ interpretation. Ultimately, readers will gain a better understanding of the Psalter and discover how all Scripture, including the Old Testament, reveals the preincarnate glory of Christ.
Biblical Study on Examines the themes of the Psalms and how the Bible presents Jesus in the Psalter Perfect for Small-Group Contains short chapters and reflection questions that make it suitable for weekly Bible study Format that Prompts Each chapter looks at every psalm twice, allowing readers to fully grasp the meaning of the psalm through Hebrews’s interpretive lens Written for everyday Christians who want to explore the book of Psalms on a deeper level
176 pages, Paperback
Published February 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 22, 2025
Hard to rate because the book is mixed. It’s unclear on audience, which is evidenced by the title, cover, structure, and style. To me, they say different things: “academic,” “lay biblical studies,” “devotional.”
Who is this book for? At times, it’s devotional, but this feels tacked on and forced. If it’s a work of biblical studies, then it’s too shallow. Much of it is simply quotes from the passages in question. It’s also quite repetitive, due to the structure: psalm - Hebrews - psalm again. I’m very much on board with the approach of learning hermeneutics from the NT. But the results are simple. Stevens hints at deeper questions that this approach raises but can only hint at answers. So it’s quite surface level.
That said, the content is good. If the right readers find the book, it’ll serve them well. I’d recommend this to those who are beginning to grapple with how to read the Psalms in light of Christ.
Who is this book for? At times, it’s devotional, but this feels tacked on and forced. If it’s a work of biblical studies, then it’s too shallow. Much of it is simply quotes from the passages in question. It’s also quite repetitive, due to the structure: psalm - Hebrews - psalm again. I’m very much on board with the approach of learning hermeneutics from the NT. But the results are simple. Stevens hints at deeper questions that this approach raises but can only hint at answers. So it’s quite surface level.
That said, the content is good. If the right readers find the book, it’ll serve them well. I’d recommend this to those who are beginning to grapple with how to read the Psalms in light of Christ.
January 26, 2026
Very well-written book. The author strives to maintain a devotional attitude throughout the entire book, demonstrating how Christ is at the center of both the Book of Psalms and the Epistle to the Hebrews. The way he outlines every chapter is interesting and hooking. He begins with the context of the Psalm itself, then examines its use in Hebrews, and finally returns to the Psalm to read it in light of its application in the former. Highly recommended to any student of scripture, given that it is not a highly technical book.
March 13, 2025
This book is simply fantastic. Having recently read Christopher Ash's "The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary" (Vol. 1), Stevens's "Songs of the Son" is an excellent companion. These two volumes will be my first stop when explaining how to understand the psalms and to think through what they are.
Stevens writes at the outset that "the Psalms, in the New Testament's reading, are the songs of the Son. The Father speaks to the Son, and the Son speaks in return (2)." This is not just predictive or typological. In the psalms we actually hear trinitarian dialogue. When we pray them, we pray the songs of the Son — sometimes He speaks, sometimes it’s speech of the Father to/about the Son, and sometimes it’s the believing community to their King. Stevens provides a helpful introduction to a “totus christus” understanding of the psalms.
Stevens goes on to say, "It is not just that some psalms predict things about Jesus; it is that in many of the psalms, we hear the voice of Jesus speaking and the Father speaking to him. The Son speaks in his preincarnate glory. He speaks in his earthly life and suffering. He even speaks in the role of his people, taking their sin and their suffering onto himself.... In earlier eras, the church has been more conscious of this, singing the Psalms regularly and finding the words of Jesus in their mouths even as they saw Jesus singing their own thoughts, emotions, and confessions through the Psalter" (3). This has the potential to revolutionize the way we read and appropriate the psalms... and it is the way Christians have historically approached them. I hope “Songs of the Son,” and works like it, not only bolster more psalm-singing in Christian churches today, but also generate a more robust use of God’s hymnbook in daily life.
I long for more literature on Christological and theological readings of the psalter (and not just because I am doing this very thing through the work of John Owen). I think this is the way we are to read the psalms. I think this has the power to bring the psalms back to the center of Christian singing and discipleship and prayer. I think this is how the author to the Hebrews (and Paul and Jesus) wanted us to see and sing the psalms: as the songs of the Son.
Rating: 5/5
Stevens writes at the outset that "the Psalms, in the New Testament's reading, are the songs of the Son. The Father speaks to the Son, and the Son speaks in return (2)." This is not just predictive or typological. In the psalms we actually hear trinitarian dialogue. When we pray them, we pray the songs of the Son — sometimes He speaks, sometimes it’s speech of the Father to/about the Son, and sometimes it’s the believing community to their King. Stevens provides a helpful introduction to a “totus christus” understanding of the psalms.
Stevens goes on to say, "It is not just that some psalms predict things about Jesus; it is that in many of the psalms, we hear the voice of Jesus speaking and the Father speaking to him. The Son speaks in his preincarnate glory. He speaks in his earthly life and suffering. He even speaks in the role of his people, taking their sin and their suffering onto himself.... In earlier eras, the church has been more conscious of this, singing the Psalms regularly and finding the words of Jesus in their mouths even as they saw Jesus singing their own thoughts, emotions, and confessions through the Psalter" (3). This has the potential to revolutionize the way we read and appropriate the psalms... and it is the way Christians have historically approached them. I hope “Songs of the Son,” and works like it, not only bolster more psalm-singing in Christian churches today, but also generate a more robust use of God’s hymnbook in daily life.
I long for more literature on Christological and theological readings of the psalter (and not just because I am doing this very thing through the work of John Owen). I think this is the way we are to read the psalms. I think this has the power to bring the psalms back to the center of Christian singing and discipleship and prayer. I think this is how the author to the Hebrews (and Paul and Jesus) wanted us to see and sing the psalms: as the songs of the Son.
Rating: 5/5
March 12, 2025
Dan Stevens (formerly at the Museum of the Bible; now at Southern Seminary) writes a chapter on each psalm that the author of Hebrews applies to Jesus. Stevens reads the psalm in its OT context; then he reads what Hebrews says about Jesus in light of this psalm; then he rereads the psalm in light of Hebrews' insight.
I gave the book three stars, although that may be a bit generous. You would think the three-step process outlined in the previous paragraph would produce depth of insight. But I found the writing to be quite superficial. I also did not care for how the chapters were mostly independent of each other, with each having a standalone introduction that seemed forced and read almost like something you'd find in a bland devotional book.
Tom Schreiner's foreword mentions the "close reading" found in this book--but I never found it. To be clear, I was grateful for Stevens' willingness to read Hebrews sympathetically. It seems odd that I need to say that, but some scholars object to how the sermonic letter interprets the Psalms in light of Jesus! Thankfully Stevens did not fall into that trap. His readings were always orthodox and, I believe, with the grain of the biblical text instead of against it.
Nevertheless, my high hopes for this volume were dashed. Perhaps I need to read something like Christopher Ash's The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary, Introduction: Christ and the Psalms. I've heard great things about that work, and hopefully it does better than Stevens at addressing this important topic at a deep level.
I gave the book three stars, although that may be a bit generous. You would think the three-step process outlined in the previous paragraph would produce depth of insight. But I found the writing to be quite superficial. I also did not care for how the chapters were mostly independent of each other, with each having a standalone introduction that seemed forced and read almost like something you'd find in a bland devotional book.
Tom Schreiner's foreword mentions the "close reading" found in this book--but I never found it. To be clear, I was grateful for Stevens' willingness to read Hebrews sympathetically. It seems odd that I need to say that, but some scholars object to how the sermonic letter interprets the Psalms in light of Jesus! Thankfully Stevens did not fall into that trap. His readings were always orthodox and, I believe, with the grain of the biblical text instead of against it.
Nevertheless, my high hopes for this volume were dashed. Perhaps I need to read something like Christopher Ash's The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary, Introduction: Christ and the Psalms. I've heard great things about that work, and hopefully it does better than Stevens at addressing this important topic at a deep level.
January 29, 2026
"In Jesus, perfect priest and perfect sacrifice are united."
This is a unique work in biblical studies. While more of a devotional than an academic work, Stevens surveys each of the key Psalms used in Hebrews in reference to Jesus Christ. According to Stevens, in Hebrews, the Psalms are words about and words of Jesus. This book is a very nice and fresh work on Christological exegesis that any inquiring reader can follow and appreciate. Each chapter follows an identical structure: introduction, reading and interpreting the Psalm of that chapter in its OT context, reading the Psalm in its context in Hebrews, rereading the Psalm in light of its use in Hebrews, then a conclusion. I will admit that the final step of rereading the Psalm after reading about its use in Hebrews could feel a little redundant. This book, like Bonhoeffer's work on the Psalms, shows us how the Psalms of the Old Testament are truly the Psalms-the words, prayers, and praise--of Jesus himself. Stevens contends that we do not have to force Christological readings of the Psalms. Rather, the Psalms naturally tell the story of Jesus Christ, which is also the story of creation.
This is a unique work in biblical studies. While more of a devotional than an academic work, Stevens surveys each of the key Psalms used in Hebrews in reference to Jesus Christ. According to Stevens, in Hebrews, the Psalms are words about and words of Jesus. This book is a very nice and fresh work on Christological exegesis that any inquiring reader can follow and appreciate. Each chapter follows an identical structure: introduction, reading and interpreting the Psalm of that chapter in its OT context, reading the Psalm in its context in Hebrews, rereading the Psalm in light of its use in Hebrews, then a conclusion. I will admit that the final step of rereading the Psalm after reading about its use in Hebrews could feel a little redundant. This book, like Bonhoeffer's work on the Psalms, shows us how the Psalms of the Old Testament are truly the Psalms-the words, prayers, and praise--of Jesus himself. Stevens contends that we do not have to force Christological readings of the Psalms. Rather, the Psalms naturally tell the story of Jesus Christ, which is also the story of creation.
March 2, 2025
Dr. Stevens did an excellent job not only in providing helpful commentary to 9 different psalms, not only in displaying the beauty of how the book of Hebrews interprets the psalms Christologically, but also in being doxological through and through. I came out of reading this book with a smile on my face and a heart full of joy and thankfulness for the amazing God and Savior we have.
Dr. Stevens argues that there are some psalms that are about the Son, there are some psalms to the Son, and there are also psalms that are actually sung by the Son himself. This is clear from the way Hebrews interprets these psalms. Furthermore, because we are united to the Son as his body, the psalms are most certainly for us.
So I recommend this book to any who love the Son, and I promise that after reading this clear and well organized book, you will come out with greater love and appreciation for this glorious Son.
Dr. Stevens argues that there are some psalms that are about the Son, there are some psalms to the Son, and there are also psalms that are actually sung by the Son himself. This is clear from the way Hebrews interprets these psalms. Furthermore, because we are united to the Son as his body, the psalms are most certainly for us.
So I recommend this book to any who love the Son, and I promise that after reading this clear and well organized book, you will come out with greater love and appreciation for this glorious Son.
April 1, 2025
Good devotional intro to Christ in the Psalms and Hebrews. Stevens’s intention to show the Psalms pointing to Christ was admirable and sometimes helpful, but left much to be desired. His arguments weren’t very developed and much of his commentary felt like “evanjellyfish” fluff. Overall decent, but Hamilton and Ash’s Psalms commentaries give a much fuller picture of how Christ fits in the Psalms.
May 28, 2025
An excellent homiletical and pastoral reading of the psalms that are used in the book of Hebrews. Stevens gives careful attention to each psalm in its original context, then its function in Hebrews, and finally back to the psalm again to learn how to appropriately read the Psalms Christologically. This books instructs the mind and edifies the heart - highly recommended.
May 27, 2025
I ordered this book after hearing the author on a podcast. I'm so glad I did. Later, I bought three more to share and will probably buy more. Stevens shares how Christ appears and even speaks in the Psalms, and he does so in beautiful, clear language. His love for the Lord shines on every page.
May 28, 2025
Wonderful.
December 24, 2025
Encouraging as devotional. The author of Hebrews is smart. Jesus is in the Psalms!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews