Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms

[Dahood] offers a unique, lively translation of the most beloved collection of poetry in Judeo-Christian sacred Scriptures. Based on his linguistic analysis of both biblical and extrabiblical texts, Mitchell Dahood, S.J., interprets this Hebrew poetry in light of rich linguistic and cultural evidence. Dahood’s translation captures the beauty and full texture of Hebrew poetry. It offers an accurate English rendering, framed within the dynamic poetic forms of the Hebrew text. Through the use of Ugaritic and cognate literature, Dahood corrects mistranslations and illuminates previously obscure phrases. The fruit of a masterful analysis of the original texts, this fresh translation, the comprehensive notes, and the groundbreaking commentary establish Dahood’s Psalms I (1–50) as the premier commentary on the Psalms." - Yale University Press

"The bulk of Israel's religious poetry is preserved in the biblical book of Psalms. In this volume, the second of three on the Psalms, Mitchell Dahood, S.J., interprets this Hebrew poerty in light of a rich ancient collection of Ugaritic texts. Dahood's translation captures the beauty and rich texture of Hebrew poetry. It offers an accurate English rendering,framed within the dynamic poetic forms of the Hebrew text. Through the use of Ugaritic and cognate literature, Dahood corrects mistranslations and illuminates previously obscure phrases. The fruit of a masterful analysis of the original texts, this fresh translation, with its comprehensive notes and groundbreaking commentary, establishes Dahood's Psalms II (51-100) as the premier commentary on the Psalms." - Yale University Press

Having closely examined the original text, Father Dahood has attempted a unique translation which relies heavily on contemporary linguistic evidence. His work stresses the relation of the Psalms to the Ugaritic texts found at Ras-Shamra, and to other epigraphic discoveries along the Phoenician littoral. This translation tries to capture as much as possible within the limits of language and the scope of present scholarship the poetic qualities of the original Hebrew. It attempts to render accurately not only the meaning of the Psalms but their poetic forms and rhythms as well. It is particularly responsive to the terse, three-beat metrical line predominant in Hebrew poetry, and it reproduces the parallelism so characteristic of biblical verse. In this process of probing the original, Father Dahood unearths some striking examples of passages previously mistranslated, and arrives at many provocative readings. In addition to an introduction, text, and notes, this volume contains a comprehensive Grammar of the Psalter which makes use of much of Father Dahood's recent work with Ugaritic." - Yale University Press

This is part 1 of a 3 volume set. Volume 2 can be found HERE and volume 3 can be found HERE.

"In this first volume of a three-volume commentary on the book of Psalms, John Goldingay, a creative and respected Old Testament scholar, considers literary, historical, and grammatical dimensions of the text as well as theological implications. Goldingay writes with a scholar's eye and a pastor's heart. The resulting commentary will bring the Psalms to life for a new generation of pastors and students." - Baker

"The psalms are masterful poems that echo the tenors of community life and worship as they project the scope of the human drama from lament to praise. They chart a profound and vital relationship with God, with al the ups and downs that this relationship implies. Konrad Schaefer's concise commentary on the psalms relates their poetic elements while respecting their historical context and traditional use in the liturgy and, more importantly, their ultimate value as a springboard to private and communal prayer. In Psalms, Schaefer focuses on the structure of each psalm, its dramatic plot, the modes of discourse, the rhetorical features, and the effective use of imagery to portray theology and the spiritual life. Schaefer portrays each poem's inner dynamic to acquaint readers with the poet and the community which prayed and preserved the composition, allowing the believer to transpose it in the contemporary situation. Psalms is for those who would like to pray the psalms with more intensity of meaning; for those willing to touch the biblical world and taste of its fruit in the Word of God; and for devoted readers of the Bible to become more expert as it helps experts become more devoted." - Liturgical Press

"It is a wonder and a gift to have a systematic theologian slow down and focus attention on the particularity of biblical texts. No one doing theology can do that more effectively than Charry, who considers the Psalms in their ancient orbit but draws them boldly toward contemporaneity for Christian readers. Charry's attentiveness to the recurring issue of suffering and hope is a welcome accent. Her book is a persuasive addition to the growing corpus of books that intend to bring the Psalter more fully into play in the life, faith, and practice of the church." - Walter Brueggemann

This is a three volume work. At the moment only volumes 2 and 3 have been published. The DTL has access to both of these works. Volume 3 can be found HERE.

"In this "meticulous" commentary, "brilliantly" translated by Linda M. Maloney (Review of Biblical Literature), Hossfeld and Zenger provide for each psalm a relevant bibliography of scholarship, a fresh translation, text-critical and philological details, and commentary on historical context, theological significance, literary structure, and reception (in Septuagint, Targums, and New Testament), engaging a wide range of scholarship as they proceed. Line drawings help to illustrate the Ancient Near Eastern context." - Fortress Press

Volume 2 can be found HERE
"'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.' 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet.' 'Search me, O God, and know my heart!' Such phrases leap to mind whenever Christians lift their hearts to God. For many, in fact, the Psalms are the richest part of the Old Testament. Derek Kidner provides a fresh and penetrating guide to Psalms 1--72. He analyzes each psalm in depth, comments on interpretative questions and brings out the universal relevance of the texts. He also gives special help on the psalmists' cries for vengeance. Together with its companion volume (Psalms 73--150), both of which were formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, this introduction and commentary will inspire and deepen personal worship." - IVP

"The New American Commentary is for those who have been seeking a commentary that honors the Scriptures, represents the finest in contemporary evangelical scholarship and lends itself to the practical work of preaching and teaching. This series serves a minister's friend and a student's guide. The New American Commentary assumes the inerrancy of Scripture, focuses on the intrinsic theological and exegetical concerns of each biblical book, and engages the range of issues raised in contemporary biblical scholarship. Drawing on the knowledge and skills of over forty scholars and encompassing forty volumes, the NAC brings together scholarship and piety to produce a tool that enhances and supports the life of the church." B&H Publishing

This is a 2 volume work. Volume 2 can be found HERE

The book of Psalms plays a significant role in the public and private prayer of both the Jewish and Christian communities today, helping to shape the minds and hearts of modern believers. In two commentaries, one covering Psalms 1-72 and the other Psalms 73-150, Dianne Bergant examines the theological and historical circumstances from which the psalms originated. She reveals how the psalms were intended for instruction as well as prayer, and helps us experience their lyrical nature. In a fresh encounter with these poems of lament, hymns of praise, and prayers of thanksgiving, readers gain a new appreciation for these ancient texts, remembering that God - who dwells with us still - is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy" (Pss 145:8)

"This work by Nancy deClaisse-Walford, Rolf Jacobson, and Beth Tanner is the most complete and detailed one-volume commentary available on the Psalms. Significantly, the volume reflects the combined insights of three superior (younger) biblical scholars. DeClaisse-Walford, Jacobson, and Tanner offer a succinct introduction to the Psalter, a new translation of all the psalms that takes special account of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and individual entries on each psalm unit. Throughout the book they draw on state-of-the-art research on the canonical shape and shaping of the Psalter and evidence a nuanced attention to the poetic nature of the psalms." - Eerdmans

“This book is a translation of the fifth revised edition of Die. In the present English edition the translator, in addition to rendering Professor Weiser's own version of each Psalm, has also indicated where and how this version differs from the RSV. All that is necessary is to welcome this work to the publishers' already valuable Old Testament Library; to thank Mr. Hartwell for a readable and flexible translation, which stumbles very rarely for so immense a production; and to stress to prospective buyers that, whatever S.C.M. Press say on the jacket, and for all its lengthy Introduction and often excellent homiletic commentary, the book does not supply 'the need ... for a full commentary in English.'” – John Baker

"Psalms examines the nature of the Psalms as a text in English, dealing specifically with the problem of translation and various aspects of the 'techniques' on reading, with relation to traditional approaches within Biblical studies and contemporary literary theory. Alastair Hunter also outlines a programmatic approach to reading and applies it to a selection of individual Psalms."

"The Psalms, the longest and most complex book in the Bible, is a varied collection of religious poetry consisting of 150 psalms in the Masoretic Psalter (MT) and 151 in the Septuagint (LXX). The Psalter, a product of hundreds of years of composing and editing, offers a rich diversity of theological perspectives and is the most transcribed and translated book of the Hebrew Bible to date. This book examines the book of Psalms, including its similarities to Mesopotamian prayers and its Canaanite and Egyptian backgrounds, its poetry, and its language of lament. It also discusses praise and metonymy in the Psalms, the relationship between psalms and wisdom, the history and characteristics of the Septuagint Psalter, the discovery of the Psalms scrolls and the caves that contained them, and interpretation of the Psalms by the Jews. Moreover, the book looks at the use of Psalms in the New Testament, the Psalms in the Qur’an and in the Islamic religious imagination, ancient Near Eastern iconography of the Psalms, rhetoric of the Psalms, the application of psychology and psycholinguistics to the Psalms, feminist interpretation of the Psalms, how the practices and institutions of kingship are viewed within the final form of Psalms, the use of Psalms in Christian religious life in Latin America, Jewish and Christian theology of the Psalms, the use of Psalms in Christian worship, and Psalms as a resource for pastoral care and counseling relationships." - Oxford University Press

“This is the first of a two-volume bible commentary covering the Psalms and examining the role of these biblical poems throughout Jewish and Christian history. It provides a fascinating introduction to the literary, historical, and theological background of psalmody. It examines the psalms through liturgy and prayer, study and preaching, translation and imitation, and musical composition and artistic illustration.” – Wiley-Blackwell

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:1-2, ESV) The book of Psalms has been the subject of daily and nightly meditation throughout the history of the church, and has been a significant resource for Christian belief and practice, often serving as the church's prayer book and hymnal. Like generations of Christians before them, the Protestant Reformers turned often to the book of Psalms, but they did so during a time of significant spiritual renewal, theological debate and ecclesiological reform. In the Psalms the Reformers found comfort, guidance and wisdom from God that applied to their context as much as it did to David's. As John Calvin explained, the Psalms demonstrate every emotion that people have experienced: "The Holy Spirit has presented in a living image all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the emotions with which human minds are often disturbed." Moreover, as Martin Luther proclaimed, the Reformers also heard in the Psalms a resounding affirmation of the good news of Jesus Christ: "The Psalter ought to be a precious and beloved book because it promises Christ’s death and resurrection so clearly." In this volume, Herman Selderhuis guides readers through the diversity of Reformation commentary on the first half of the Psalter. Here are both familiar voices and lesser-known figures from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans and Roman Catholics, many of whose comments appear here for the first time in English. By drawing on a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises and confessions—this volume will enable scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, provide resources for contemporary preachers, and aid all those who seek to meditate upon God's Word day and night." - Baker

"Drawing inspiration from Gerald H. Wilson's The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, this volume explores questions of the formation of the Psalter from the perspective of canonical criticism. Though called canonical criticism, the study actually employs a number of historically traditional and nontraditional approaches to reading the text including form criticism, historical criticism of individual psalms as well as of the whole Psalter, and redaction criticism." - SBL Press

"The book of Psalms is the heart of the Old Testament, the libretto of the most vibrant worship imaginable. It informs our intellect, stimulates our imagination, arouses our emotions and stirs us to holy thoughts and actions. It is also a pivotal witness to, and anticipation of, Jesus Christ. Tremper Longman’s commentary interprets each psalm in its Old Testament setting, summarizes its message and reflects on its significance from a New Testament perspective, providing a christological reading. The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries have long been a trusted resource for Bible study. Written by some of the world's most distinguished evangelical scholars, these twenty-eight volumes offer clear, reliable and relevant explanations of every book in the Old Testament, aiming to get at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today." - InterVarsity Press

"Craig Broyles examines the Psalms as a diverse collection of poems whose main roots are in Jerusalem's worship services. Both in the past and in the present, they provide dynamic liturgies though which the worshipper encounters God--often with vigorous dialogue--and finds meaning for life. Broyles makes the best of contemporary scholarship on the Psalms accessible to both general readers and serious students." - Baker

"Many readers are convinced that the Psalms are hopelessly “masculine,” especially given that seventy-three of the 150 psalms begin with headings linking them to King David. In this volume, Denise Dombkowski Hopkins sets stories about women in the Hebrew Bible alongside Psalms 42–89 as “intertexts” for interpretation. The stories of women such as Hannah, Rahab, Tamar, Bathsheba, Susanna, Judith, Shiphrah, Puah, and the Levite’s concubine can generate a different set of associations for psalm metaphors than have traditionally been put forward. These different associations can give the reader different views of the dynamics of power, gender, politics, religion, family, and economics in ancient Israel and in our lives today that might help to name and transform the brokenness of our world." - Liturgical Press

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.

This is vol. 2 of the three volume Word Biblical Commentary of the Psalms.
The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence.

This is vol. 3 of the three volume Word Biblical Commentary
The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence.