Reading the Psalms Again for the First Time: A Spirituality for Justice-Seekers and Peacemakers
Ebook
Why is the most important text in the Bible a psalm, more specifically, Psalm 82? Because this psalm portrays genuine divinity as an unwavering commitment to justice, defined as attention to and provision for the most vulnerable. Furthermore, according to Psalm 82, the well-being of the human family depends on divine justice, as does peace on earth and a stable future for the planet. The Psalms historically have nurtured a form of spirituality that is person-centered and that invites people to identify with the range of emotions expressed in the Psalter's praises and laments. This is good, but the Psalms do more! Beginning with Psalm 82, this volume involves a re-reading of the traditional psalmic genres, including the enthronement psalms, royal psalms, a torah psalm, the laments, the songs of praise, the psalms of assurance, and the Songs of Zion. Such a re-reading reveals that the Psalms also nurture an activist spirituality that invites people to join God in God's work of establishing justice and peace on a creation-encompassing scale. The world depends on it!
“Clinton McCann is a master reader of the Psalms, as is evident in his superb commentary in the New Interpreter’s Bible. In this slender, accessible volume he shows how the entire Psalter can be mobilized concerning God’s commitment to social justice and God’s summons to the work of social justice. McCann shows how every genre of the Psalter is focused on this single issue. In his adept hands, the Psalms compellingly summons to our moment of discipleship.”
—Walter Brueggemann, professor emeritus of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary
“Clint McCann has been a leading Psalms scholar for more than thirty years, contributing numerous important works in the area. He writes not only for scholars, however; he writes winsomely for the everyday church person in this short book on ‘Spirituality for Justice-Seekers and Peacemakers.’ He has long been known for his passion for justice, righteousness, peace, hope, and shalom, and these shine forth well in this book. It will not disappoint any looking for these themes in the Psalms.”
—David M. Howard Jr., professor of Old Testament, Bethlehem College and Seminary
“José Miranda once said that the Psalter reflected a struggle of the just against the unjust. McCann, long a leading figure in Psalms scholarship, concurs. The spirituality of the Psalter can be summarized as the quest for peace: righteousness leads to justice which leads to shalom for all of God’s people and all of God’s world. McCann walks us through all the nooks and crannies of the Psalter, including how to read Christ ‘psalm-ologically.’ This book is a command performance, ideal for classroom, personal, and small group uses.”
—Brent A. Strawn, D. Moody Smith Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law, Duke University
“For the past three decades Clint McCann has been one of the world’s most important voices in the interpretation of the Psalms. In this work we find what we’ve come to expect from him: keen scholarly interpretation, profound theological reflection, and pastoral sensitivity, all brought to bear on the meaning of the Psalms for the Twenty-first century. This book is a must read for anyone interested in how scripture urges us to the work of peace and justice. Indeed, McCann shows that the Psalms are a primary resource for that work.”
—Jerome Creach, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
“Clint McCann is one of the giants of modern psalms scholarship. Here, he deploys his formidable mastery of the psalms to argue—quite convincingly!—that a spirituality of the psalms must conform itself to God's desire for peace and justice.”
—Rolf Jacobson, professor of Old Testament, Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry, Luther Seminary.
- Title: Reading the Psalms Again for the First Time: A Spirituality for Justice-Seekers and Peacemakers
- Author: Jennifer McCann
- Publisher: Cascade Books
- Print Publication Date: 2024
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9798385211531, 9798385211524, 9798385211517
- Resource ID: LLS:9798385211531
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-09-24T20:54:31Z
J. Clinton McCann Jr. is the evangelical professor of biblical interpretation at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of many books and articles, including The New Interpreter’s Bible commentary on the Psalms, A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms, and Great Psalms of the Bible. He was the consulting translator of the book of Psalms for The Common English Bible.