Old Testament Study: Psalms (Onsite)

Lecturer: Dr Lindsay Wilson
lindsay@ridley.edu.au

Onsite @ Dream Centre, PJ
9th – 13th March 2026
3 units

Course Content

The course will cover the book of Psalms. It is divided into two sections.

1. Issues in interpreting Psalms and their use in ministry:
   a. theological aspects of Psalms: kingship; lament; enemies; Zion; creation; praise; history; ethics.
   b. reading Psalms as Christian scripture: Hebrew poetry; psalm types; reading Psalms as a book; preaching from Psalms; use of Psalms in pastoral care; Psalms and biblical theology.
2. The exegesis of the English text of the following:
   Psalms 2, 8, 16, 19, 22, 24, 46, 51, 73, 74, 96, 99, 110, 116, 132, 137.

Course Aims

1. Know and understand:
   a. The contents, themes and character of Psalms in the English text
2. Be able to
   a. Analyze the ‘introductory’ issues in understanding Psalms
   b. Evaluate alternative interpretations of the themes and theological teachings of Psalms
   c. Exegete selected chapters of the English text of Psalms
3. Be in a position to
   a. Apply the teaching of Psalms to contemporary Christian living and ministry practice
   especially in preaching and pastoral care.

Compulsory Seminar Readings

Estes, Daniel J. “The Transformation of Pain into Praise in the Individual Lament Psalms.” Pages 151–63 in The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul. Edited by Andrew J. Schmutzer and David M. Howard Jr. Moody, 2013.

Firth, David G. “God’s Reign in the Psalms and the Kingdom of God.” Tyndale Bulletin 76 (2025): 47–67.

Howard, David M., Jr., and Michael K. Snearly. “Reading the Psalter as a Unified Book: Recent Trends.” Pages 1–35 in Reading the Psalms Theologically. Edited by David M. Howard Jr. and Andrew J. Schmutzer. Lexham, 2023.

Hutchinson, J. L. “The Psalms of Praise.” Pages 85–100 in Interpreting the Psalms. Edited by Philip S. Johnston and David G. Firth. IVP Academic, 2005.

Longman III, Tremper. “A Christian Reading of the Psalms.” Pages 63–73 in How to Read the Psalms. IVP Academic, 1988.

Wenham, Gordon J. “The Ethics of the Psalms.” Pages 103–27 in The Psalter Reclaimed. Crossway, 2013.

Class Schedule

Assessment Package

1. ±10% permitted unless stated otherwise ↩︎
2. Midnight following unless stated otherwise. ↩︎

1. 100% class attendance
2. Reading
3. Exegetical paper on one of the following passages in Psalm:
   a. 16
   b. 19
   c. 24
   d. 51
   e. 73
   f. 110
   g. 137
4. Either:
   a. a 20-minute sermon on the Psalm selected for the exegetical paper. You will need to arrange with MBS to have this recorded; or
   b. an article for a church magazine on the Psalm selected for the exegetical paper.
5. Essay on one of the following:
   a. ‘Yahweh reigns.’ To what extent is Book IV (Psalms 90–106) the theological centre of the Psalter?
   b. Identify the key theological ideas which emerge from the Zion psalms, and discuss the
   usefulness of these psalms for Christians today.
   c. What does the book of Psalms teach about the nature of lament? What is their value for Christians today?
   d. To what extent is a missiological reading of the book of Psalms possible?
   e. What is the role of Psalm 119 in the Psalter as a whole?
6. Complete student feedback form

Bibliography

Reference books:

Either Day, John. The Psalms. T&T Clark Study Guides. T&T Clark, 1999.
or Mays, James L. The Lord Reigns. Westminster John Knox, 1994.
or McCann, J. Clinton. A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms. Abingdon, 1993.
or Estes, Daniel J. Pages 141–211 in Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms. BakerAcademic, 2005.
or Lucas, Ernest C. Exploring the OT 3: The Psalms and Wisdom Literature. IVP Academic, 2003.

Commentaries:

At least one of:
a. Broyles, Craig C. Psalms. Understanding the Bible Commentary. Baker Academic, 1999/2012.
b. McCann, J. Clinton. “Psalms.” NIB 4:639–1280.
c. Word Biblical Commentary (WBC)
* Craigie, Peter C., and Marvin E. Tate. Psalms 1–50. 2nd ed. WBC 19. Thomas Nelson, 2004.
* Tate, Marvin E. Psalms 51–100. WBC 20. Word, 1990.
* Allen, Leslie C. Psalms 101–150. Rev. ed. WBC 21. Thomas Nelson, 2002.
d. NIV Application Commentary (NIVAC)
* Wilson, Gerald H. Psalms Volume 1. NIVAC. Zondervan, 2002.
Tucker, W. Dennis, and Jamie A. Grant. Psalms Volume 2. NIVAC. Zondervan, 2018.
e. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms (BCOTWP)
Goldingay, John. Psalms Volume 1: Psalms 1–41. BCOTWP. Baker Academic, 2006.
———. Psalms Volume 2: Psalms 42–89. BCOTWP. Baker Academic, 2007.
———. Psalms Volume 3: Psalms 90–150. BCOTWP. Baker Academic, 2009.
f. New International Commentary on the Old Testament (NICOT)
* deClaissé-Walford, Nancy L., Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth Laneel Tanner. The Book of Psalms. NICOT. Eerdmans, 2014.
g. Kregel Exegetical Library
Ross, Allen P. A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 1: Psalms 1–41. Kregel, 2011.
———. A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 2: Psalms 42–89. Kregel, 2013.
———. A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 3: Psalms 90–150. Kregel, 2015.
h. Asia Bible Commentary (AsiaBC)
*Villanueva, Federico G. Psalms 1–72. Asia Bible Commentary. Langham, 2016.
———. Psalms 73–150. Asia Bible Commentary. Langham, 2022.
i. New Americal Commentary (NAC)
Estes, Daniel J. Psalms 1–72. NAC. Broadman & Holman, 2026.
———. Psalms 73–150. NAC. Broadman & Holman, 2019.
j. Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary
Hamilton, James M., Jr. Psalms, Volumes 1–2. Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary. Lexham, 2021.

Also recommended:
*Allen, Leslie C. Psalms. Word Biblical Themes. Word, 1987.
Bateman, Herbert W., and D. Brent Sandy, eds. Interpreting the Psalms for Teaching & Preaching. Chalice, 2010.
Brueggemann, Walter. The Message of the Psalms. Augsburg, 1984.
Bullock, C. Hassell. Encountering the Book of Psalms. Baker Academic, 2001.
*———. Theology from the Psalms: The Story of God’s Steadfast Love. Baker Academic, 2023.
Brown, William P., ed. The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms. Oxford University Press, 2014.
deClaissé-Walford, Nancy L. Introduction to the Psalms. Chalice, 2004.
———, ed. The Shape and Shaping of the Book of Psalms. Society of Biblical Literature, 2014.
———. Psalms: Books 4–5. Wisdom Commentary. Liturgical Press, 2020.
*Grogan, Geoffrey. Psalms. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Eerdmans, 2008.
Hamilton, James M., and Matthew Damico. Reading the Psalms as Scripture. Lexham, 2024.
Harman, Allan. Psalms. Mentor, 1998.
Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. Psalms 2: A Commentary on Psalms 51–100. Fortress,
2005.
———. Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101–150. Fortress, 2011.
Jacobson, Rolf A., ed. Soundings in the Theology of Psalms. Fortress, 2011.
*Longman III, Tremper. How to Read the Psalms. IVP Academic, 1988; 2nd ed., 2025.
*———. Psalms. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. IVP Academic, 2014.
McCann, J. Clinton. The Shape and Shaping of the Psalter. JSOT Press, 1993.
Miller, Patrick D. Interpreting the Psalms. Fortress, 1986.
Pagolu, Anumula, John B. Jeyaraj, Evangeline Mohol, Daniel Clarence, and Anil Kumar Lama.
“Psalms.” Pages 614–767 in South Asia Bible Commentary, edited by Brian C. Wintle. Zondervan, 2015.
Schmutzer, Andrew J., and David M. Howard Jr., eds. The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul. Moody, 2013.
Shead, Andrew G., ed. Stirred by a Noble Theme. The book of Psalms in the Life of the Church. Apollos, 2013.
Waltke, Bruce K., and James M. Houston. The Psalms as Christian Worship. Eerdmans, 2010.
Westermann, Claus. Praise and Lament in the Psalms. John Knox, 1981.