Interpreting the Psalms

The book of Psalms has been precious to countless people in many languages and countries over many centuries. It has expressed their hopes and fears, inspired their faith, and renewed their trust in God. Through the Psalms, the spiritual insight and religious heritage of ancient Israel have had a profound and lasting impact on the human race. The book of Psalms is also of great interest to biblical scholars, and scholarly study of the Psalms is in the midst of a sea change. A generation ago, the dominant tendency was to study individual psalms in relation to their literary forms and cultural functions. However, in recent years, studies have increasingly emphasized Hebrew poetry, the structure of the entire Psalter, and its development from earlier collections to a unified canonical book. In exploring these and other facets, this volume aims to bridge the gap between general introductions to the study of the Psalms and specialized literature. Written by members and guests of the