The Psalms are known as the heart of the bible, but it is also a theologically rich collection of poems that join together to tell a wider story. James M. Hamilton Jr. convincingly shows how (mainly) David and with the help of other authors wrote and arranged the Psalms in order to tell the about God’s purpose in the world. He views David as the main author and the architect of the entire project. He further argues that the superscriptions came from the hand of the psalm’s author. It is important to see how the Psalms are interconnected and tell this wider story.
“The Psalms are true history, fulfilled prophecy, and enduring praise. The book of Psalms is a school of prayer, a fountain of truth, and a revelation of God himself. We will not master this book, but oh that it might master us, becoming the pulse to which our hearts beat, the soil in which our souls take root.”
Most Christians rightly view the Psalms as a collection of poems or songs to the Lord. Because of this, it can seem less approachable for those that are more logical or theological minded. Hamilton does a great job showing how much theology is found throughout the Psalter by showing the Psalms to be a purposefully organized collection of poems that built upon and interpret each other.
“Life will triumph over death. Good will overcome evil. The defiled will be cleansed, the broken mended, the wicked judged, the faithful rewarded, and God’s creation purposes will be accomplished. All these realities play into biblical hope. From this perspective the psalmists write.”
The Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (EBTC) focuses on the Biblical Theology expressed by their authors on their own terms and in their own historical contexts. Biblical Theology seeks to trace the central themes of the individual books of Scripture. The commentary intends to communicate the worldview of the biblical authors and how the original audience would understand the text. My education and background has been more towards Systematic Theology which is more topically oriented and focuses on contextualization with current settings. In focusing on the Biblical themes instead of a verse-by-verse exegesis, you begin to see the bigger story of Scripture as it was understood when it was written.
“… Ultimately the biblical theology of a given set of writings is an interwoven fabric of interrelated major and minor themes, a matrix not unlike a spiderweb that is characterized by a careful integration, cohesion, and interpenetration.”
Each author of the EBTC volumes is given freedom in the order and structure to best suite the biblical material being presented. Hamilton has arranged the commentary with an introduction, Biblical Theology themes found within the Psalter, and finishing with verse-by-verse commentary. This two-volume work covers Psalms 1-72 in the first volume, and Psalms 73-150 in the second volume. It utilized the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) as the base translation. Alongside the CSB translation, Hamilton has provided his own translation. When translating to another language, there are several considerations: readability, context, thematic relationships, repeated words or phrases, ect. In doing so, concessions are made, and the English-only readers lose out on some of the links with other verses. Hamilton’s translation seeks to preserve the connection of these linking words to aid in understanding, even if it yields a more awkward reading translation. The commentary uses extensive footnotes rather than parenthetical citations and asides to keep from breaking up the text; I find this makes the text much more readable. The binding and cover art provide for a quality and aesthetically pleasing addition to anyone’s library.
James M. Hamilton Jr. (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of biblical theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and preaching pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church. He is the author of God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment; What Is Biblical Theology?: A Guide to the Bible’s Story, Symbolism, and Patterns; his most recent must-read book, Typology-Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns, and several others.
“Arriving at the right answer, knowing theological truth, as the Psalmist obviously does, has neither altered his physical circumstances nor lifted him from the emotional low. So what does he do? He keeps right on praying. He persists.”
Hamilton’s EBTC commentary on the Psalms stirred my affection and strengthened my understanding of the Psalms. This commentary is helpful for pastors and those studying the Psalms such as seminary students, scholars, or lay leaders. It is a resource that I will return to over and over again as my favorite Psalms commentary. I knew of the arrangement and overarching story of the Psalms, but Hamilton brought it to life. The biblical and theological themes section was briefer than I would have liked (about 11 pages), but helpful. I especially enjoyed the section on fear of God.
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Psalms Two Volume Set: Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary By James M. Hamilton, Jr. |
I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions I express are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.