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The Psalms: Jesus's Prayer Book
A Commentary for worship, devotion and reflection on the Psalter.
The Old Testament Psalter testifies both to the universal human condition and the redemption wrought for believers in the person and work of Christ. In The Psalms: Jesus's Prayer Book, longtime pastor and seminary professor Doug Webster distills ancient and modern scholarship on the Psalms into theological, canonical, apostolic, linguistic, and pastoral edification to students of Psalter. By focusing on both the most consequential and the less developed aspects of Psalm studies, Webster shows how living a Christ-centered life goes hand in hand with digesting the Psalms as a complete collection prefiguring Christ.
The volumes of The Psalms follow the internal divisions Psalms presents:
Volume 1 (Book I of the Psalms)
Volume 2 (Book II)
Volume 3 (Book III-IV)
Volume 4 (Book V) Designed with preachers and teachers in mind, The Psalms strikes a middle ground between a technical commentary and a book of sermons. Webster offers pastoral insight in both interpretation and application of the Psalms for worship, unveiling purpose and significance for worship, devotion, and reflection.
"By combining his spiritual words with the Spirit-inspired psalms he transforms the believer's life into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ of whom the psalms speak. Here is a book that readily provides rich spiritual material for personal and pastoral application." --Bruce K. Waltke, Distinguished professor of Old Testament, Knox Theological Seminary, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, Regent College, Vancouver
"This commentary takes a special place among the commentaries on the Psalter because, unlike so many others, Webster does not read them independently of Christ nor as a mere footnote. By taking the hand of the Carpenter's Son, he guides you through the Psalms." --Kenneth Mathews, professor of Old Testament, Beeson Divinity School
"Using the image of the ocean's untamable power and beautiful complexity to describe the book of Psalms, Doug Webster leads us on a voyage of prayer, discipleship, and spiritual discovery." --Rebecca Poe Hays, Ph.D., assistant professor of Christian Scriptures - Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, George W. Truett Theological Seminary
The Old Testament Psalter testifies both to the universal human condition and the redemption wrought for believers in the person and work of Christ. In The Psalms: Jesus's Prayer Book, longtime pastor and seminary professor Doug Webster distills ancient and modern scholarship on the Psalms into theological, canonical, apostolic, linguistic, and pastoral edification to students of Psalter. By focusing on both the most consequential and the less developed aspects of Psalm studies, Webster shows how living a Christ-centered life goes hand in hand with digesting the Psalms as a complete collection prefiguring Christ.
The volumes of The Psalms follow the internal divisions Psalms presents:
Volume 1 (Book I of the Psalms)
Volume 2 (Book II)
Volume 3 (Book III-IV)
Volume 4 (Book V) Designed with preachers and teachers in mind, The Psalms strikes a middle ground between a technical commentary and a book of sermons. Webster offers pastoral insight in both interpretation and application of the Psalms for worship, unveiling purpose and significance for worship, devotion, and reflection.
"By combining his spiritual words with the Spirit-inspired psalms he transforms the believer's life into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ of whom the psalms speak. Here is a book that readily provides rich spiritual material for personal and pastoral application." --Bruce K. Waltke, Distinguished professor of Old Testament, Knox Theological Seminary, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, Regent College, Vancouver
"This commentary takes a special place among the commentaries on the Psalter because, unlike so many others, Webster does not read them independently of Christ nor as a mere footnote. By taking the hand of the Carpenter's Son, he guides you through the Psalms." --Kenneth Mathews, professor of Old Testament, Beeson Divinity School
"Using the image of the ocean's untamable power and beautiful complexity to describe the book of Psalms, Doug Webster leads us on a voyage of prayer, discipleship, and spiritual discovery." --Rebecca Poe Hays, Ph.D., assistant professor of Christian Scriptures - Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, George W. Truett Theological Seminary
1200 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 14, 2025
Finished Book 1 Jan 2025. This quote summarizes the wealth this commentary brings:
“When someone articulates our experience and gives us words to explain our grief and to express sorrow, we don’t feel alone…When the psalms direct our worship, they offer the worshiper the gift of empathy.”
When an author pulls out the depth and breadth of the psalms (literarily, content, big Bible picture) their expression deepens our worship and changes the scope of our prayers and directs our lives to hope and trust in Christ.
The last chapter reiterates how the psalms all point to the anointed One:
“The meaning of the psalms pivot on a comparison between the “tenuous portrait of a king at risk” and the king enthroned and installed on Mount Zion.”
The psalms point to Jesus and offer deliverance for our suffering and hope of redemption for our souls.
“When someone articulates our experience and gives us words to explain our grief and to express sorrow, we don’t feel alone…When the psalms direct our worship, they offer the worshiper the gift of empathy.”
When an author pulls out the depth and breadth of the psalms (literarily, content, big Bible picture) their expression deepens our worship and changes the scope of our prayers and directs our lives to hope and trust in Christ.
The last chapter reiterates how the psalms all point to the anointed One:
“The meaning of the psalms pivot on a comparison between the “tenuous portrait of a king at risk” and the king enthroned and installed on Mount Zion.”
The psalms point to Jesus and offer deliverance for our suffering and hope of redemption for our souls.
July 7, 2025
Excellent resource on the Psalms! Highly recommend for anyone wanting to dive deeper and/or study the Psalms.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews