Recommend A Commentary on Psalms
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Hi everyone.
I will soon be starting a brief sermon series on the Psalms of the Sons of Korah. I was looking to possibly pick up another commentary on Psalms.
I already have:
Leupold
Kidner
Keil and Delitzsch
I also have some devotional or sermonic stuff, like Spurgeon or Wiersbe.
I was looking more for one more on the academic side but up to date, (like the first three I listed). Any recommendations?
I will soon be starting a brief sermon series on the Psalms of the Sons of Korah. I was looking to possibly pick up another commentary on Psalms.
I already have:
Leupold
Kidner
Keil and Delitzsch
I also have some devotional or sermonic stuff, like Spurgeon or Wiersbe.
I was looking more for one more on the academic side but up to date, (like the first three I listed). Any recommendations?
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Dear Ed Vasicek,
My Dad has Peter A. Steveson’s commentary on Isaiah (Bob Jones University Press) and uses it along with Thomas Constable’s free online commentary of Isaiah for his Sunday morning Bible study class. I have read parts of Peter A. Steveson’s commentary on Isaiah and have found it to be a helpful expository commentary.
Regarding your concern, Peter A. Steveson has also written a commentary on Psalms. Here is the BJU Press page that allows you to see the Table of Contents, Preface, Introduction and a Sample Chapter (Psalm 1), which I have read and found to be helpful:
http://www.bjupress.com/product/235762?path=64529&samplePage=#lookInside
Thomas Constable’s Expository Notes on Psalms can be found here:
http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/psalms.pdf
Love,
In Christ,
Matt
My Dad has Peter A. Steveson’s commentary on Isaiah (Bob Jones University Press) and uses it along with Thomas Constable’s free online commentary of Isaiah for his Sunday morning Bible study class. I have read parts of Peter A. Steveson’s commentary on Isaiah and have found it to be a helpful expository commentary.
Regarding your concern, Peter A. Steveson has also written a commentary on Psalms. Here is the BJU Press page that allows you to see the Table of Contents, Preface, Introduction and a Sample Chapter (Psalm 1), which I have read and found to be helpful:
http://www.bjupress.com/product/235762?path=64529&samplePage=#lookInside
Thomas Constable’s Expository Notes on Psalms can be found here:
http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/psalms.pdf
Love,
In Christ,
Matt
Christ Saves Sinners is my evangelistic website.
Spurgeon’s “The Treasury of David”.
"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan
I really like Wilson Vol 1 - he’s one of the architects for the shape and shaping of the psalter ideas - i don’t like everything he says, but it’s good stuff.
_______________ www.SutterSaga.com
At least, that is what it seems to me. I am going through the Psalms on Wednesday nights and have really enjoyed Kidner. He is very brief, but I think quite insightful. I also have K & D and occasionally look at Expositors, but mostly I use Kidner. If you are interested, I can send you pdfs of the psalms of Korah, I think I have gone through all of them by now.
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
[ssutter] I really like Wilson Vol 1 - he’s one of the architects for the shape and shaping of the psalter ideas - i don’t like everything he says, but it’s good stuff.Thanks for the recommend.
"The Midrash Detective"
Ed,
Your commentaries are good resources and I would agree that the Treasury of David is not to be overlooked. One problem with more recent commentaries is their emphasis on things like source and form criticism—technical, but not a lot of help for preaching. It is the older classics that tend to dig to the meet of exegesis, exposition, theology, and application. In fact, as I give that summary it sounds like standard Puritan preaching.
One older commentary I like that speaks to all of those categories is by William S. Plumer. Here is a link to a digital version: http://www.archive.org/details/studiesinbookofp00plum.
Other standard classics are by J.J. Stewart Perowne ( http://www.archive.org/details/bookofpsalmsnewt00pero ), and J. A. Alexander ( http://www.archive.org/details/psalmstranslatedny01alex ). Also, James Montgomery Boice has a three volume set on Psalms.
An online source to consider is:
Bill Barrick (Hebrew professor at Masters Seminary). He has a pdf lesson on each of the Psalms http://drbarrick.org/sermons.html. Scroll down to “Adult Bible Fellowship Lessons: Psalms”
I also make it a habit to check these sites for commentary/sermon recommendations when I am beginning a new series:
Precept Austin ( http://www.preceptaustin.org/ ). Go to the “Collections” box and select the Bible Book you want to study.
Monergism.org ( http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Sermons-By-Book/ )
Biblical eSources ( http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/ )
Hope this helps and that you have a rich study.
Drake Torp-Pedersen
Your commentaries are good resources and I would agree that the Treasury of David is not to be overlooked. One problem with more recent commentaries is their emphasis on things like source and form criticism—technical, but not a lot of help for preaching. It is the older classics that tend to dig to the meet of exegesis, exposition, theology, and application. In fact, as I give that summary it sounds like standard Puritan preaching.
One older commentary I like that speaks to all of those categories is by William S. Plumer. Here is a link to a digital version: http://www.archive.org/details/studiesinbookofp00plum.
Other standard classics are by J.J. Stewart Perowne ( http://www.archive.org/details/bookofpsalmsnewt00pero ), and J. A. Alexander ( http://www.archive.org/details/psalmstranslatedny01alex ). Also, James Montgomery Boice has a three volume set on Psalms.
An online source to consider is:
Bill Barrick (Hebrew professor at Masters Seminary). He has a pdf lesson on each of the Psalms http://drbarrick.org/sermons.html. Scroll down to “Adult Bible Fellowship Lessons: Psalms”
I also make it a habit to check these sites for commentary/sermon recommendations when I am beginning a new series:
Precept Austin ( http://www.preceptaustin.org/ ). Go to the “Collections” box and select the Bible Book you want to study.
Monergism.org ( http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Sermons-By-Book/ )
Biblical eSources ( http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/ )
Hope this helps and that you have a rich study.
Drake Torp-Pedersen
Dear Drake,
Thanks for offering these links to some great resources. I am familiar with some of them (monergism, preceptaustin), but excited to learn about others (esp. openbook). I forgot about Perowne. And Plummer is always a good name.
I have checked a few out already, and will peruse the rest.
Sounds like you are a master of free resources!
God bless – and thanks,
Ed
Thanks for offering these links to some great resources. I am familiar with some of them (monergism, preceptaustin), but excited to learn about others (esp. openbook). I forgot about Perowne. And Plummer is always a good name.
I have checked a few out already, and will peruse the rest.
Sounds like you are a master of free resources!
God bless – and thanks,
Ed
"The Midrash Detective"
Ed,
You commented that (Alfred) Plummer is always a good name—and you are right. He has several works that are helpful. I am using him on Luke right now. William Plumer (one m) is different. I hadn’t heard of him until I received the commentary on Psalms (Banner of Truth Geneva Series) as an ordination gift. I enjoyed it so much I snatched up a copy of his commentary on Romans when I came across it. Plumer was an American Southern Presbyterian. Plummer (of ICC fame) was an Anglican connected to the University College of Durham.
You are right, I do have a tendency toward those free resources!
Drake
You commented that (Alfred) Plummer is always a good name—and you are right. He has several works that are helpful. I am using him on Luke right now. William Plumer (one m) is different. I hadn’t heard of him until I received the commentary on Psalms (Banner of Truth Geneva Series) as an ordination gift. I enjoyed it so much I snatched up a copy of his commentary on Romans when I came across it. Plumer was an American Southern Presbyterian. Plummer (of ICC fame) was an Anglican connected to the University College of Durham.
You are right, I do have a tendency toward those free resources!
Drake
Most of the colleges/seminaries have recommended book lists for research and study. I have one from International Baptist College and one from Detriot Baptist Theological Seminary. I also have a book somewhere produced by BJ of available resources. I think its called the Pastor’s Toolbox or something like that. My copy is somewhat out of date, but there may be a more recent printing with updated suggestions there as well.
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
[Chip Van Emmerik] Most of the colleges/seminaries have recommended book lists for research and study. I have one from International Baptist College and one from Detriot Baptist Theological Seminary. I also have a book somewhere produced by BJ of available resources. I think its called the Pastor’s Toolbox or something like that. My copy is somewhat out of date, but there may be a more recent printing with updated suggestions there as well.Thanks, Chip. I have one somewhere from Grace Seminary from the 1980’s. What I am really looking for is something newer because I have some pretty good old stuff, and, as pointed out above. there are lots of free accesses to the vintage works (although I had forgotten about Perowne).
I don’t really NEED any new books, it’s just that when I do a series on a book (or, in this case, I am only doing the 11 Psalms of the Sons of Korah), I often try to get a newer work so I have new material available from the last time I did it. It is part of how I keep fresh and keep learning. A lot of commentaries are simply rehashes of previous works, but some add new insights. For example, Ben Witherington is great to do this in his New Testament commentaries (although I do not always agree with him).
What we call scholars are often men of great learning who rehash and repackage what is already out there, perhaps adding a new bit of material to refute a new error or claim, etc. But commentators and scholars who can actually THINK creatively and originally are a rare find indeed. Too many believe there are no new solutions, no new information, no new nuances to refine. Too much inbreeding can make this worse. Thus, their assumptions stifle what creativity could be there.
I especially enjoy commentators who tap into Jewish roots material (Talmud, etc.) because they also bring new insights to the table at least insights newer to most of us). I’ll probably fiddle around with Rashi’s comments on the net and do my Talmud and Targum searches. If you want an idea how this has helped me in the past, here is a link to an article I wrote:[URL=http://www.highlandpc.com/studies/paulps2.php] “Paul’s Reliance on Psalm 2 and the Apostasy”[/URL] from a series I did in I & 2 Thessalonians.
Thanks, guys.
"The Midrash Detective"
Ed, the new guy I’m aware of is John Goldingay. He’s at Fuller, and I’m not sure he’s 100% on inspiration, but he does think in a theological rather than simply critical frame of mind. I have seen his Psalms recommended by very conservative teachers.
My Blog: http://dearreaderblog.com
Cor meum tibi offero Domine prompte et sincere. ~ John Calvin
[Charlie] Ed, the new guy I’m aware of is John Goldingay. He’s at Fuller, and I’m not sure he’s 100% on inspiration, but he does think in a theological rather than simply critical frame of mind. I have seen his Psalms recommended by very conservative teachers.Charlie, you are an invaluable resource — and a good brother. I saw the name “Goldingay” while perusing Amazon, but you have scratched where I itched. Thanks, brother. BTW, I am glad my last name is Vasicek. People may butcher it and mispronounce it, but it is tough to tease about.
"The Midrash Detective"
I’ve found Albert Barnes to be superior in the OT books, although I haven’t preached from Psalms in a while. I’d give him a look through either E-Sword (his commentary is free) or through Project Gutenberg (or the like).
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
You may have already done your study on the psalms of the Sons of Korah. I purchased Goldingay about 2 years ago, but he works from his own translation and on the 2 psalms I studied, his translation differed significantly-I returned the series. I think the 3 vols. by Word are good, I especially enjoyed Craigie. His vol. 1 covers the first 50 psalms.
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