Words to God Word from God

The psalms challenge and sustain us in a number of ways and in times of new challenges to the very fabric of the church to its faith and its values we need to re-examine these ancient prayers and songs. This book explores the place and function of the psalms in Christian prayer preaching and worship. Examining the dual nature of the psalms as both words to God and word from God the author brings together the historical experience of the church biblical studies and theological reflection to focus on the application of the psalms in contemporary Christian life. A number of individual psalms are explored in terms of what they have to say about prayer or what theological issues they raise for contemporary life. This book encourages a reclamation of the psalms in the private and public prayers of the church and in the preaching of the word.