Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook (Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis | HOTE)
Overview
In this valuable resource for pastors and students, celebrated scholar Mark Futato explains the nature of Hebrew poetry and the purpose of the Psalms. After outlining issues related to the proper interpretation of Israel’s songbook, he concludes with a sample of moving from interpretation to proclamation.
- Guides readers in the interpretation and preaching of the Bible
- Provides practical examples of sound exegesis
- Includes insight into the literary genres, historical context, and theological themes of biblical books
Top Highlights
“When writing poetry we group related lines together to form a strophe. A strophe is in poetry what a paragraph is in prose.” (Page 29)
“For now, we can define a line as one complete parallelistic expression of thought.” (Page 28)
“The hymns usually fall into three sections: an opening invitation to praise God, a central delineation of the praiseworthy character and actions of God, and a concluding affirmation of faith or a renewed invitation to praise and worship.” (Page 146)
“The most frequent line in Hebrew poetry is made up of two halves. Each half line is called a colon,9 so the basic line is called a bicolon.” (Page 27)
“Hebrew poetry employs the waw-relative imperfect,5 the direct-object marker, the relative pronoun, and the definite article with far less frequency than does Hebrew prose.” (Pages 25–26)
- Title: Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook
- Author: Mark Futato
- Series: Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis
- Publisher: Kregel
- Print Publication Date: 2007
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Pages: 240
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. O.T. Psalms › Criticism, interpretation, etc
- Resource ID: LLS:EXGHBKPS
- Resource Type: text.monograph.handbook
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-02-12T03:09:55Z
Dr. Mark D. Futato joined Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in 1999, and serves as the Robert L. Maclellan Professor of Old Testament. He teaches core classes on Hebrew and Old Testament books. Dr. Futato served as academic dean of RTS Orlando from 2004 to 2012.
Dr. Futato’s research interests include biblical Hebrew, the book of Psalms, and the role that elements of creation, such as climate and geography, play in Scripture. Dr. Futato has published multiple books on the Psalms, as well as an /Introduction to Biblical Hebrew/. He is currently finishing a commentary on Jonah.
Dr. Futato also served on the translation team for the book of Psalms in the New Living Translation, contributed study notes for The ESV Study Bible and The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible, and contributed to the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis.
Students appreciate Dr. Futato’s passionate emphasis on God’s desire to bless all nations, his engaging communication style, and his practical application of biblical texts to those who struggle, suffer, and doubt. Dr. Futato and his wife, Adele, have four children: William, Evan, Mark Jr., and Annie.