Singing the Psalms in Your Life

Gennadius, Patriarch of Constantinople (458-471 A.D.), would not ordain anyone who had not been diligently reciting the psalms; the second Council of Nicaea (587 A. D.) concluded that no one was to be consecrated bishop unless he knew the Psalter thoroughly; and the eighth Council of Toledo (653 A.D.) ordered that no one be promoted to any ecclesiastical position who did not know perfectly the entire collection (Ross, 27).

Yikes! I guess I better get studying the Psalms!

We think we are so smart today with all of our books and computers, but seriously, how many of us know the Bible as well as we should?

I know I do not.

One of the things I strive to do on this blog is explain Scripture in a way that shows how people understood it when it was written, and also showing how the story of Scripture transforms and changes our lives today.

But many Bible commentaries do this as well. To help bring the Psalms to life, I recommend the new commentary by Allen P. Ross: Commentary on the Psalms. I believe it is one of the best commentaries ever written on the book of Psalms.

But this is no surprise, since Dr. Ross is one of the leading Old Testament scholars in the world.

Not only does he know the Hebrew Scriptures forward and backward, but he always writes in a way that is beneficial for both scholar and layperson. His writing is technical enough to challenge the seminary-trained professional to think, but is straightforward enough so that any layperson can be instructed and encouraged.

If you are looking to preach, teach, or study the Psalms, or simply want an aid for your summer devotional reading of the Psalms, I highly recommend Allen P. Ross’ Commentary on the Psalms.

FTC Disclosure: This book was sent to me by Kregel Publications for review on this blog.