Customer Reviews

The Message of the Psalms (Augsburg Old Testament Studies)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
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I was loaned this book at a very difficult time in my life. I could no longer trust a God who had allowed my son to die. But by no longer conversing with God, I also lost my source of sustenance and renewal.

This book describes how the Psalms document the changes/seasons of a believing community's life of faith: a movement of faith from orientation to disorientation to a new orientation.

It helped me to understand that my relationship with God changes with my experiences of life. And that although I may be experiencing a period of disorientation in respect to God, eventually I will arrive at a new orientation, as did the people of Israel.

Dr. Walter Brueggemann, Old Testament professor/mentor/friend, taught this material at Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, Missouri and later as a continuing education workshop in Florida. This is, in my judgment, the best work done on the Psalms and I use it as the basic text in my course in Florida Christian University/Theological Seminary on "The Psalms and Counseling". Not only does Brueggeman categorize the Psalms into "Orientation", "Disorientation", and "New Orientation" (an improvement on "Reinorientation" as a type), but he also helps us have a psychological perspective on these psalms and their uses within the church and our personal appropriation/and belief systems. This helps us find our route through disorientation and depression on into new orientation and joyful health.

Found the language of the book too scholarly. Example: "The verbal form expressing Yahweh's actions is characteristically participial; that is, this is not an intrusive eventfulness, but an assured ongoing process that Yahweh does regularly and everywhere." The entire book is written in this manner.

I'm sure the contents are probably excellent but I found this book too difficult to read for the average joe.

It was hard to read for me but a well of information. This is not a book that you are going to read in one sitting

I bought this book to read on the iPad, since I already own copy of the print version. I was very disappointed with the navigation. I sure hope that this can be fixed or I might return the electronic version.