Bibliography for Studying the Psalms
by Stephen E. Westfall
I encourage you to make the Book of Psalms a constant companion in
your spiritual life. Here are a few good books and other resources
that will help you.
Introductory Studies
There are two very good introductions that I commend to anyone
interested in beginning serious study of the Book of Psalms. The
first is Out of the Depths, by Bernhard W. Anderson (Westminster
John Knox Press, 1995). (A third edition that I have not seen, published
in 2000 and co-authored with Steven Bishop, is now available.) The
other book I discovered only recently, and I also recommend it as a good
introductory text: How to Read the Psalms, by Tremper
Longman III (Intervarsity Press, 1988).
Both of these books do a good job of introducing the reader to the
importance of the Psalms for Christian life and thought, the different
types of Psalms, and the nature of the poetic language found in Psalms.
Each also offers some topics and strengths absent from the other, so I
encourage you to read both eventually.
A very short, concise treatment is Psalms: The Prayer Book
of the Bible (Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 1974), by the German
theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was executed by the Nazis one month
before the end of World War II. Although Bonhoeffer’s is not a complete
treatment, it contains a great deal of thoughtful theological and devotional reflection
on the Psalms that is of value for Christians, and I recommend it highly.
Commentaries
Two good commentaries that are useful to the layman
are:
Derek Kidner, Psalms (two volumes). Inter-Varsity
Press, 1973 & 1975.
James Luther Mays, Psalms. (From the commentary
series “Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.”)
Westminster John Knox Press, 1994. ISBN: 080423115X.
One Psalms commentary to avoid is that by Mitchell Dahood in the
Anchor Bible series. It is largely unintelligible except to biblical
scholars, extremely idiosyncratic in its approach, and thus virtually
unusable by ordinary readers and pastors. Use your money more wisely!
Audio Resources
I highly recommend that you obtain an audio series on
the Book of Psalms by my mentor in Old Testament studies, Bruce K. Waltke.
You will learn a great deal more about the Psalms and have a wonderful
spiritual experience as well!
Seventeen free lessons on the Psalms by Dr. Waltke can be found at the website of
Believer’s Chapel in Dallas,
Texas.
You can listen online or download mp3 files for later use.
(Information is also available about tapes, should you prefer that format.)