Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible (Paperback)

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Author) "So spoke the disciples to Jesus..." (more)
Key Phrases: Jesus Christ, Lord's Prayer, Word of God (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
An illuminating study of prayer using the Psalms as a guidebook.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers (January 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806614390
• ISBN-13: 978-0806614397
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,374 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

112 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praying with Christ, November 17, 2003

By	Joshua V. Schneider (Hawaii) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In this beautiful little book, Bonhoeffer guides the Christian to the Scriptures for lessons in how to pray. He affirms that the Lord's Prayer is the primary prayer of the Christian, which he asserts contains every prayer that a Christian ought to pray. Bonhoeffer also makes a startling but wise claim that jolts us out of the narrowness of our focus in prayer: "The richness of the Word of God ought to determine our prayer, not the poverty of our heart." Thus we find the book of Psalms to be a rich treasury of prayers that are part of God's inspired word, and therefore a true place to learn how God would have us pray.

The book proceeds to give some general background on the history and use of the Psalms as the prayer book of the Bible. In the main part of the book he presents one possible system of categorizing the Psalms according to their petitions, and also points out that they can be organized according to the petitions of the Lord's Prayer. But the most valuable part of the book, in my opinion, is how he shows us how the Psalms are to be prayed in Christ, of whom the Psalms also testify (Luke 24:44). As Bonhoeffer says, "It is the incarnate Son of God, who has borne every human weakness in his own flesh, who here pours out the heart of all humanity before God, and who stands in our place and prays for us."

This is a fine book for the devotional/prayer life of the Christian.

82 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How to pray the psalms with confidence and love, January 3, 2000

By	John B. Morgan III "john4" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, hung by the Nazis for his principled resistance to perversion of Christian life, leads us through the themes and value of psalms. These song-prayers, brought forth from thousands of years of human longing for connection with God, are just as powerful in their meaning of human life, today. Use this tiny volume as a study guide to psalm themes for better prayer life.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bonhoeffer, again, at his best!, November 24, 2007

By	W. Kent "Soulful Paraclete" (SW Florida USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible
Though a small book in size, a powerful presentation of prayer in various settings. Additionally, for those who perhaps stumble around about prayer, Bonhoeffer blesses such that the relationship with God is personal and precious. The power of Bonhoeffer's witness reminds one that we live a privileged life. Christians ought to have this in their library for rereading and rereading.