Overview
Hassell Bullock has studied, taught, and written successful texts on the Psalms for forty years. In this book, he walks through how the Psalms convey the grand story of creation and redemption, Scripture's two theological ends, and the underlying story of God and humanity in relationship.
Bullock explains how the literal and metaphorical language in the Psalms work together to articulate the message and deepen our understanding. He presents interpretive principles gleaned from the psalmists themselves and shows how these writers make intertextual connections to other Scriptures, sometimes quoting but mostly alluding, which can help us make corresponding connections between Old and New Testament teachings. The Psalms are examples of applying wisdom and Scriptures to personal and national issues and of how God interacts and intervenes in real-life situations, which help us apply the Bible today.
Bullock's mature reflections and guidance on understanding and applying the Psalms' theological message will complement any traditional introduction to the Psalms.
Bullock explains how the literal and metaphorical language in the Psalms work together to articulate the message and deepen our understanding. He presents interpretive principles gleaned from the psalmists themselves and shows how these writers make intertextual connections to other Scriptures, sometimes quoting but mostly alluding, which can help us make corresponding connections between Old and New Testament teachings. The Psalms are examples of applying wisdom and Scriptures to personal and national issues and of how God interacts and intervenes in real-life situations, which help us apply the Bible today.
Bullock's mature reflections and guidance on understanding and applying the Psalms' theological message will complement any traditional introduction to the Psalms.
Table of Contents
Introductory Matters
Part 1: God
1. The Aleph and Tav of Psalmic Theology
2. Hesed, God's Steadfast Love
3. Thinking Comprehensively about God's Goodness (Tob)
4. Yahweh's Condescension in the Psalter
5. Judgment, the Other Side of Justice
6. Covenant, the Intractable Bond
7. The Laughter of God
Part 2: Humanity
8. The Human Condition
9. We Become Like Our God
10. Shamed and Shaming
11. Weeping for the Night, but Joy in the Morning
12. Waiting on the Lord
13. They Did Not Remember to Show Kindness
Part 3: Redemption
14. All in the Family: "For His Name's Sake"
15. Finding God in the Fabric of the World
16. The Fear of the Lord
17. Praise of God, the Rehearsal Hall for Eternity
Indexes
Part 1: God
1. The Aleph and Tav of Psalmic Theology
2. Hesed, God's Steadfast Love
3. Thinking Comprehensively about God's Goodness (Tob)
4. Yahweh's Condescension in the Psalter
5. Judgment, the Other Side of Justice
6. Covenant, the Intractable Bond
7. The Laughter of God
Part 2: Humanity
8. The Human Condition
9. We Become Like Our God
10. Shamed and Shaming
11. Weeping for the Night, but Joy in the Morning
12. Waiting on the Lord
13. They Did Not Remember to Show Kindness
Part 3: Redemption
14. All in the Family: "For His Name's Sake"
15. Finding God in the Fabric of the World
16. The Fear of the Lord
17. Praise of God, the Rehearsal Hall for Eternity
Indexes
Endorsements
“In Theology from the Psalms, Professor C. H. Bullock presents a lifetime of scholarly study and pastoral reflection on the Psalms in short essays that nourish the soul and are delightful to read. This book is distinguished by its careful attention to the Hebrew text, thoughtful bridges to Christian theology, and kindhearted tone. It will give readers a deeper appreciation for the spiritual power and contemporary relevance of the Psalms. Anyone who preaches or teaches the Psalms will find treasures on every page that illuminate specific passages and a theological center of gravity that shows how the Psalter holds together.”
Michael Graves, author of How Scripture Interprets Scripture
“The Psalms have been an integral part of Hassell Bullock’s personal and professional life for half a century (and more), and we, the readers, are the beneficiaries of this deep dive into the Psalter’s theology. Rich and granular, engaging and stimulating, this book will reward anyone who dips into it, as they encounter topic after topic of the Psalms’ theology, many not treated elsewhere. (How can one resist a book that has a chapter titled ‘The Laughter of God’?) I recommend it enthusiastically!”
David M. Howard Jr., professor of Old Testament, Bethlehem College and Seminary
“As Hassell Bullock writes, ‘The book of Psalms’ is basically ‘Israel’s theology compacted in one book.’ From Bullock’s lyrical and profound words opening the preface to his final meditations on how our present praise of God puts us in the rehearsal hall for eternity, Theology from the Psalms: The Story of God’s Steadfast Love really does crown his forty years of studying, teaching, preaching, and writing on the Psalms. Read it, and be drawn into closer fellowship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.”
Mark Talbot, author of When the Stars Disappear: Help and Hope from Stories of Suffering in Scripture
“Concise, readable, and insightful! Bullock has done the academy and the church a service in writing a book that shows the rich theology of the Psalms. His masterful intertextual work demonstrates the scope and importance of the Psalms both then and now. Bullock’s grasp of the ancient milieu of the Psalms and his seamless interaction with modern scholarship are commendable and make the work of the psalmists understandable and applicable for a modern audience.”
Brian Neil Peterson, associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, Lee University
“The rigor and warmth of Professor Hassell Bullock, well known to his students over decades of teaching, characterize the present volume. Drawing on a lifetime of close textual study of the Psalms, Bullock’s work is rich in detailed observation and insight yet employs a theologically thematic outline that maintains an inviting accessibility. Readers of this volume will be welcomed to the text and challenged to engage it more carefully.”
Andrew Burlingame, assistant professor of Hebrew, Wheaton College
Author
C. Hassell Bullock
C. Hassell Bullock (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is professor of Hebrew Bible emeritus at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he taught for thirty-six years. He also served as an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He specializes in Wisdom literature, particularly the Psalms, and wrote the successful textbook Encountering the Book of Psalms as well as the two-volume Teach the Text Commentary on the Psalms.