NIVAC 13: Psalms, Volume 1 (1-72)

Most Bible commentaries take us on a one-way trip from the twentieth century
to the first century. But they leave us there, assuming that we can somehow
make the return journey on our own. In other words, they focus on the original
meaning of the passage but don't discuss its contemporary application. The
information they offer is valuable - but the job is only half done! The NIV
Application Commentary Series helps us with both halves of the interpretive
task. This new and unique series shows readers how to bring an ancient message
into modern context. It explains not only what the Bible means but also how it
can speak powerfully today.Perhaps more clearly than any other part of
the biblical canon, the Psalms are human words directed to God. Yet, through
the Holy Spirit, these honest, sometimes brutal words return to us as the Word
of God. Their agonies and exaltations reflect more than the human condition in
which they were created. Within the context of the canonical Psalter, they
become the source of divine guidance, challenge, confrontation, and comfort.
However, it is possible to misapply them. How can we use the Psalms in a way
that faithfully connects GodÉs meaning in them and his intentions for them with
our circumstances today?

Drawing on over twenty years of study in the
book of Psalms, Wilson reveals the links between the Bible and our present
times. While he considers each psalm in itself, Wilson goes much further,
examining whole groups of psalms and, ultimately, the entire Psalter, its
purpose, and its use from the days of Hebrew temple worship onward through
church history. In so doing, Wilson opens our eyes to ageless truths for our
twenty-first-century lives.'Wilson's commentary is strong in all
three sections of the series: original meaning, bridging contexts, and
contemporary significance. I cannot agree with him about the structure of the
book as a whole, which is an original contribution, but the commentary has much
value, especially for ministers.' - Tremper LongmanSeries: NIV
Application Commentary.