Singing in the Reign: The Psalms and the Liturgy of God’s Kingdom
Overview
Christians know the Psalms, sing the Psalms, and pray the Psalms more than any other book of the Bible. Yet, even as believers have grown more devoted to individual psalms, they have lost the big picture—the single sense that unites all the psalms as one coherent book.
Michael Barber is at the forefront of an emerging movement in biblical theology. With Singing in the Reign, he is recovering the story that was the common heritage of Jews and Christians in the ancient world. Barber shows how King David serves as an example for the chosen people as they struggled in exile. As David was rescued by the Lord, so would Israel be restored as a kingdom for all ages.
This is the story of Christ as well, whom Barber reveals as the “new David.” And, in Christ, it is the story of every Christian. The Psalms brings us—in our reading and in our prayer—from suffering and pleading to glory, triumph, and praise.
Barber’s analysis follows upon an extensive introduction by Scott Hahn, detailing the historical, cultural, and theological background of the Psalter.
Perfect for students, pastors, and laypeople alike, the Logos edition of this volume is fully searchable and easily accessible. Scripture passages link directly to your English translations and to the original-language texts, and important theological concepts link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of resources in your digital library.
- Unpacks the biblical text through a Catholic lens
- Discusses the Psalms from a big picture viewpoint
- Features an extensive introduction by Scott Hahn
- Psalm Aids to Studying the Psalter
- Part I: A Theology of the Psalter
- The Davidic Covenant as Old Testament Climax
- Themes of the Psalter
- A Canonical Study of the Book of Psalms
- Part II: Jesus and the Restoration of the Kingdom
- Restoring All Things in Christ
- Jesus and the Restoration of the Kingdom
- The Church: The Kingdom of God on Earth
- Romans 9–11: God’s Fatherly Plan for Finding the Lost Tribes
Top Highlights
“Remember, the covenant always sets both blessings and curses before man, and lets man do the choosing. Yet we should not look upon the curses as mere punishments. God intends them to be remedial, restorative, and redemptive. The suffering of the curses serves as a means to humility and repentance, and an occasion to return to covenant faithfulness.” (Page 28)
“The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old is revealed in the New.” (Page 21)
“The Psalter is permeated with a Davidic spirituality. Its prayers reflect the particular terms of the covenant God made with the house of David. And we must not underestimate the significance of God’s covenant with David or its difference from the covenant with Moses. The Mosaic covenant, made on Sinai, was a national and exclusive covenant with Israel. The Davidic covenant, made on Zion, was international and was inclusive of both Israelites and Gentiles.” (Page 14)
“While contracts simply involve the exchange of goods, covenants involve the exchange of persons.” (Page 39)
“All told, 103 out of 150 psalms appear in the pages of the New Testament, and many are quoted more than once” (Page 23)
What you’re about to read in Michael Barber’s books is not only good, but it’s new—it’s new to all of us. Moreover, it’s important. . . . This book will prove most profitable for your interior life.
—Scott Hahn, founder and director, Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology
- Title: Singing in the Reign: The Psalms and the Liturgy of God’s Kingdom
- Author: Michael Barber
- Publisher: Emmaus Road Publishing
- Publication Date: 2001
- Pages: 184
