Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-248) and indexes.

Encountering the literary and hermeneutical dimensions of the Psalms. "Begin the music" : introducing the Psalms ; Listening to the symphony of praise : interpreting the Psalms ; The seams of the garment of praise : the structure of the book -- Encountering the Psalms as worship and historical reflection. The Psalms in worship and faith ; Encountering theology and history in the Psalms -- Encountering the Psalms as literary and theological types. "Praise the Lord, o my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name" : the psalms of praise ; "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" : psalms of lament ; "I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy" : psalms of thanksgiving ; "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" : psalms of trust ; "You are my son; today I have become your father" : psalms of the earthly king ; "The Lord reigns" : psalms of the heavenly king ; "My mouth will speak words of wisdom" : the wisdom psalms ; "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul" : the psalms of Torah ; "May they be blotted out of the book of life" : the imprecatory psalms.

According to Hassell Bullock, "No collection of poems has ever exercised as much influence on the Western world as the Book of Psalms." The attraction for Jews, Christians, and others is surely the personal element that pervades these poems, which describe the human situation in all its complexity. Though the Psalms are perhaps the most familiar portion of the Hebrew Bible, they are also among the most difficult to interpret. Bullock has created this guide to introduce readers to the study and interpretation of the Psalms. Encountering the Book of Psalms begins by examining the nature, structure, and authorship of the Psalter and providing readers with specific principles for interpretation. The author goes on to examine the use of the Psalms in worship from the ancient world to the twenty-first century. He further explores how the psalmists used historical reflection to serve their theological purposes, and he concludes by investigating different types of psalms (e.g., praise, lament, and wisdom). Like other volumes in the Encountering Biblical Studies series, Encountering the Book of Psalms includes a number of helpful features, including chapter objectives and outlines, sidebars, charts, and illustrations. - Back cover.