How to Preach from the Book of Psalms

A Lecture Note

By

Luke Kim

1

Introduction

A Christian is like a pilgrim who sojourns through a strange land to a better country. The

traveler often faces various obstacles, which can lead to doubt and despair. In the midst of

hardships, travelers ask questions like "How long?" and pray to God who promises a better

country. Fortunately, God's faithful hand never fails to provide sufficient grace for them to

persevere. God reminds them of His faithfulness through His words of promise and His mighty

works. Saints of the Old and New have been reassured and endured until they reached the

Promised Land. Some pilgrims of the Old Testament times, by the Spirit's inspiration, composed

songs to commemorate God's words and deeds that saved them from various hardships. The

book of Psalms is the collection of such songs.

Preaching from the book of Psalms has the following benefits:

1. Growth in the knowledge of Christ

2. Grow in wisdom for Christian life

3. Strengthening of faith

4. Provision of a greater hope for the Promised Land

5. Assistance in prayer and praise to God

The book of Psalms, whether the composers realized it or not, testifies to Christ, and the

New Testament affirms the songs as the authentic testimony of Christ. The gospel writers and

Jesus himself used the book of Psalms to explain His life, death and resurrection (Luke 24:4).

The cross-section is the kingdom of King David and the greater kingdom of Jesus Christ. King

David had a mission to build God's kingdom, but he underwent various difficulties that came

from his enemies. His heart's expression invites readers to hear the heart of the Messiah.

2

The book of Psalms starts by introducing two ways to life: one that follows the counsel of

the wicked and another that delights in following the word of God (Ps. 1:1-2). The blessed man

wisely rejects the counsel of the wicked and joyfully accepts the word of God. Christ is the

supreme example of the blessed man of Psalm 1. In His life, we find the marks of the blessed

man. Concerning this, Martin Luther wrote, "The letter is that the Lord Jesus did not yield to the

favorite pursuits of the Jews and of the perverse and adulterous generation which were current in

his time."1 Hence, the book of Psalms testifies to Christ, but it also provides wisdom for

Christian life that should be modeled after the examples of Christ.

The book of Psalms strengthens faith and provides a greater hope for the Promise Land

(benefits 3 and 4). The book of Psalms is God's word proper; it is the Gospel, for it testifies to

the life of Christ. The hearing of God's word produces faith (Rom. 10:17), and it is self-evident

that the book of Psalms, as God's word, strengthens one's faith. Furthermore, by hearing the

personal testimonies of our spiritual predecessors who overcame their hardships, our faith is

strengthened as we hope for the kingdom.

Hearts and minds are more complex than what can be expressed through words. Often

times, it is difficult to express both God's grace and one’s own spiritual agony, but every

Christian has a desire to express their hearts to God with words. The book of Psalms contains

prayers of other saints whose experiences echo Christian experiences, and a Christian can find

his or her heart’s expression in the Psalms. Proper prayers have enduring impact on one's heart,

as phrases and words remain. If they find such phrases in the book of Psalms, the phrases

become a constant reminder for them of God's grace and His power. Such phrases would have

greater impact if one finds a proper expression for praying in a public worship setting.

1 Sidney Greidanus, Preaching Christ from The Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method

(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1999), 123.

3

Preaching the book of Psalms provides all aspects of spiritual benefit by providing the

content, basis and motivation for Christian life. Preaching the book of Psalms, however, is a

difficult task. Each psalm is in a form of poetry, and poetry expresses feelings and content

through words with literary and musical devices (meter, beat, rhythm and etc.). For the book of

Psalms, historical and cultural data are not sufficient, and the musical devices are absent. Also,

the form is condensed, often leading to readers imagining and filling gaps but missing the

intention of the author. Therefore, proper reading is essential to provide the spiritual benefits that

the book offers. We will there need to discuss how to read God’s Word, along with how to

preach God’s Word.

Plan for the Lecture

I divided the lecture into three parts. First, I will introduce basic elements of the book. In this

part, I plan to include the discussion of the three elements of communication: the writer, the text

and the reader. Second, I will provide essential tools for interpreting Scripture. Third, I will

explain and demonstrate how to formulate a sermon, using Psalm 1 as an example.

4

The Book of Psalm

Title

The book of Psalm's Hebrew title is tehillim ("praise").2 The title derives from the

conclusion of the book (Ps. 150), where it ends with the word hallelujah. When the book was

translated into Greek, a translator gave it a new title: psalmoi. This name is from the

superscription of Hebrew psalms, which often start with mizmor ("to sing" or possibly "to

pluck"). The word "psalm" simply means a song sung to the accompaniment of stringed

instruments. English and various other language translations tend to use the Greek title.

The Hebrew title tehillim ("praise") is an appropriate title, for the book provides the basis

for praising God. In this book, composers acknowledged and confessed God's unfailing love and

mighty power that they or their ancestors encountered. For this reason, the book of Psalms

provides the basis for trust and confidence in God and His promise. Other Israelites sang along

with the composers in praising God, for they also experienced His power and love.

We, however, have a greater reason to sing these songs today, for God's power and love

was perfected through Jesus Christ and His ministry. According to Mark Futato, "We carry out

the command to praise the Lord by acknowledging and confessing who God is and what he has

done, and in so doing, we render honor and glory to the One who is the object of our praise."3

Christians have greater reason to sing Psalms because we know and have Christ's finished work.

Thus, the book of Psalms contains appropriate content for our praise, for they testify to Christ

and His kingdom.

2 Mark D. Futato, Transformed by Praise: The Purpose and Message of the Psalms (Phillipsburg: P&R

Publishing, 2002), 5-7. Also, Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 WBC vol. 19 (Waco: Word Books, 1983), 31.

Tremper Longman, Psalms TOTC vol. 15-16 (Downers Grove: IVP, 2014), 23. 3 Futato, Tranformed, 8.

5

Author

When we read the Bible, we must think about two types of authorship: human and divine.

For the book of psalms, the human authors (or composers) of Psalms can be further divided into

two categories: original composers and redactors. We believe that God inspired not only original

composition, but also redaction. Human weakness does not hinder God from expressing what He

wants to communicate to His people. Therefore, the existence of redaction or human weakness

are not evidence against the infallibility and inerrancy of the book.

The original composers of the book include Moses (Ps. 90, probably the oldest

composer), King David (the most contributing composer), Solomon, Asaph, Korah's descendants

and others. The composers range from the days of Moses to the time of the postexilic

community.4 Their particular context would help to interpret the book.

The redactor(s) of the book of Psalms is/are largely unknown. We know that the book

was finished after the Babylonian exile, so the final redactor must have live after the fifth century

before Christ. He probably collected various Psalms that was handed down through oral

tradition. This is the more important question: why would the final redactor collect 150 Psalms

and arrange them in this particular order? The introduction to the book (Ps. 1 & 2) in light of the

overall structure and message of the book provides clues to the answer. We will survey those two

chapter later in the lecture, so I will give a brief answer for now. Psalm 1 considers the life of

blessedness and Psalm 2 is about Messianic kingship and its adversaries. The introduction seems

to indicate that there is hope for blessed life in the Messianic kingdom, where kingdom citizens

follow God's word rather than the counsel of the wicked. It seems that the final redactor wanted

4 In Psalm 137, it is a clear indication that the date of composition is postexilic.

6

his contemporaries to have this hope even in times of difficulty, and that he wanted to encourage

his contemporaries to live in accordance with this hope.

God, however, is the ultimate composer who inspired the above mentioned composers

and redactor(s) to express His words. He also preserved the book. The Bible has examples of

God using singers as vessels for delivering His words (1 Chr. 25:1-2; cf. Luke 1:67), and their

songs became the medium for the sacred message of His promise. God included post-generation

in this promise, thus, the Psalms has been sung by the true heir of the promise. The book of

Psalms is our song, for we are included in the promise through Christ.

Text

I do not want to delve into the textual-critical aspects of the book. I just want to briefly

touch upon the themes, the structure and the modes of expressions in the book of Psalms. Five

books (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150) form the book of Psalms. Each book has its own

unified theme. Before we discuss the themes of each section, I want to discuss the first two

psalms, which serve as the introduction to the whole book.

Psalm 1 is about blessing (or happiness), and it tells us that living according to God's law

is the way to happiness. Reality, however, differs from what is proposed in Psalm 1. Living

according to God's law often results in unexpected consequences (difficulties and hardships).

Furthermore, man in his sinful condition is prone to listen and follow the counsel of the wicked,

like their forefathers of the wilderness generation. Psalm 2 therefore provides a solution by

proposing another way to happiness: "kiss the Son.” The second psalm shows how the King-Son

will establish His rule and lead His people so that they may willingly follow God's word. This

king (the Messiah) had adversaries, but He will establish a blessed kingdom. The life of David,

7

depicted in the Psalms, gives a glimpse of the king's suffering and his effort to establish the

kingdom. Book 1 has a clear allusion to the final and ultimate King.

All the psalms in Book 1 credit King David as their composer - except for the first two

psalms. The series of David's psalms starts with the problem of adversaries, who are against the

anointed king (Ps. 3). Book 1 contains these difficulties but reconfirm God's promise of kingship.

According to Futato, "The Lord had promised David that the kings who were raging against him

would not prevail over him, and David here testifies to the fulfillment of this promise in his

experience."5 The basis of David's faith is God's word of promise.

Book 2 continues the theme of kingship, but it moves away from an individual (David) to

an institution (the Davidic dynasty). According to Futato, "The end of book 2 affirms this

transfer of the messianic kingship from David to Solomon."6 Kingship is an important theme

because God's fulfilment revolves around the appointment of a king who should execute God's

rule. The last psalm of Book 2 (Ps. 72) "...is a kingship psalm, a prayer for the newly anointed

king of Israel. Indeed, it is best seen as a prayer given in connection with the king's inauguration,

asking God to give the king a sense of justice for the people, particularly the oppressed. It paints

a hopeful picture that this king's influence might extend beyond the borders of Israel to include

all the nations of the world, thus bringing to fruition the blessing to the nations promised to

Abraham (Gen. 12:2-3)."7 The Israelites hoped for the messianic age to take place through the

appointment of a king, who would be the descendant of David. Solomon is a type of messiah

whose wisdom would bring about a kingdom of peace ("shalom").

5 Futato, Transformed, 115. 6 Ibid., 116. 7 Longman, Psalms, 170.

8

The hope of the messianic age came to an abrupt pause as the Davidic kingship ends, and

Book 3 takes us to the lowest point of the Psalms. Psalm 88:6 captures this point by saying, "You

have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep."8 The book, however, ends

with a glimpse of hope in the middle of despair. This hope stems from God's covenant with

David. The psalmist appeals to God's word by saying, "You have said, 'I have made a covenant

with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: "I will establish your offspring forever,

and build your throne for all generations." (89:3-4).'" The psalmist remembers God's faithfulness

and His word of promise that is unchangeable (Ps. 89:33-37), but the palmist also remembers

how God rejected the anointed king (Ps. 89:38-45). The punishment was fair, for the kings and

the people of Israel had been unfaithful to God. Between the sinfulness of men and the

faithfulness of God, the psalmist seems to rely on God's faithfulness. The last section of Book 3

captures this point:

Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,

which by your faithfulness you swore to David?

Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,

and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations,

with which your enemies mock, O LORD,

with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen. (Ps. 89:49-52)

In sum, "the kingship inaugurated and confirmed in book 1 and effectively transferred in book 2

has seemingly come to an end in book 3 - and with it the faithfulness of God."9

Books 4 and 5 provide instruction on "how to live in the absence of the messianic

king."10 The hope for the messianic kingdom had lived even though physical evidence (a king

and a kingdom) was lacking. Book 4 "...takes us back before David, before the days of the

8 Unless it is indicated, the paper uses ESV translation. 9 Futato, Transformed, 121. 10 I used the section title of Futato, Transformed, 121.

9

messianic kingship... Where did people find their security before there was a king?"11 The

opening verse of book 4 answers this question by saying, "Lord, you have been our dwelling

place in all generations" (90:1). People found their security in God, who had been their king.

Book 4 teaches people to live by faith in God rather than their circumstances. Book 5 provides

other principles of loving obedience to live in the absence of the messianic king. The life of faith

continues in book 5, and it extends a call to love worship God. The basis of this call is God's

promises.

In sum, each book intersects with the life of various Old Testament pilgrims as they look

forward to the Messianic King and His kingdom. In a similar manner, New Testament pilgrims

find their greater assurance as they remember the finished work of Christ and wait for the

fruition of His work. The church of the earth also struggles, and Christians lament as they

experience the disparity between the promise and the reality. The book of Psalms would help

Christians by providing the greater hope and unshakable assurance as they reflect upon the

psalms in light of the true Messianic King Jesus.

Readers

Psalms has a long history in the life of Israel. Exodus 15:1-19 contains the song of the

sea, and various psalms are found throughout Scripture (i.e.: Ex 15:1-9, Num 10:35-36, 23-24;

Deut 32, 33; Judg 5; 1 Sam 2:1-10). Singing a psalm about God's work of salvation has been a

tradition of ancient Israel. The collection of Psalms continues that tradition.

The post-exilic community is the primary reader of the finished collection of Psalms. A

brief survey of the Bible indicates that they had failed to keep God's covenant, which resulted in

11 Ibid., 122.

10

their loss of the kingdom. In light of God’s covenant, the most crucial question is whether God

will keep His promise. They ask, "Will we be able to be the blessed nation as it was promised to

Abraham?" The book of Psalms provides an affirmative answer, that God will re-establish His

kingdom and install His king that is better than David.

For contemporary readers, God fulfills His promise in Jesus, and we wait for its

fulfillment. The kingdom of God was inaugurated through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and

He sits at the right hand of God ruling the universe, but the consummation and physical

manifestation is not yet. The physical condition of the physical representations of the spiritual

realities (viz. Church, Christians and their ministry) often cause us to doubt its reality. Hence, we

are able to sympathize with the Old Testament readers. In this struggle, we also look for the

kingdom to be realized. As we sing of the marriage of the King (Ps. 45), we hope for the

marriage of the lamb (Rev. 19:7~). We also sing the same song with the same expectation. The

difference is that the basis of our hope is better, for we are living after the inauguration of the

eternal kingdom.

11

Methods and Techniques

Words

Words might lose their meaning or sense in translation, and this problem increases in the

book of Psalms because of its condensed form. Poetic expression is brief and stylish, and

translating rhyme and alliteration is impossible. Reading a psalm in the original language would

definitely help, but most pastors are not well-equipped with the Hebrew language. In this area of

study, a good commentary would compensate. I want to spend some time discussing three

principles that would help you find the meaning of a word. These principles also apply to other

parts of the Bible.

The first principle is that the meaning of a biblical word is analogical. With the word

“blessing," for example, a dictionary would define it as "something that helps you or brings

happiness."12 Some readers mistakenly import their own ideas of blessing by thinking of

something that brought them happiness, such as wealth and health. This kind of problem

increases if the word is broader, such as the word "love." The idea and philosophy of love has its

own history, and the concept of love in the ancient Greek and 17th century Romantic period

differs. The conventional Cambodian ideology of love differs from the American ideology of

love, but they also share some commonality. To be analogical means to be not exact (univocal)

nor totally different (equivocal), but rather to share some aspect. The interpreter's job is to find

the precise meaning and sense of a word. To find analogy, one must start from the literal and

shape it with the context.

12 Merriam-Webster "Blessing," accessed May 13, 2015, http://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/blessing.

12

The second principle is that the context defines the meaning. Without context, a word is

meaningless. When I write the word "right," it could be opposite of left or opposite of wrong. If I

say the word "right," it could mean "write," or I might be calling a person's name “Wright."

Context defines the meaning of a word. The content and the superscription provide information

that help an interpreter reconstruct the psalmist's situation. The content often expresses the

situation and emotion of a psalmist. Through their expressions, an interpreter should use little

imagination to figure out the situation.

Superscriptions also provide clues for reconstructing the psalmist's situation. The

superscription is a later edition of a psalm, and its canonicity is often challenged. Concerning the

purpose of superscriptions, Longman writes, "...these composers did not write for the purpose of

making their own experiences public and memorable, but rather, using these experiences, they

wrote songs that could be used by later worshippers who find themselves in similar, though not

necessarily identical situations..."13 The stories of the Old Testament, especially of David in 1

and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Chronicles, provide clues concerning the psalmist's situation. Using

the content and the superscription of a psalm with little imagination would help an interpreter to

reconstruct the psalm’s context.

The third principle is that the Bible's context is covenantal and redemptive-historical in

its storyline. Every psalmist is an heir of God's covenant and a pilgrim waiting for God to fulfill

what He promised. A central (or key) word should be understood in light of the covenant. For

example, "love" in relation to God usually means God's faithfulness in keeping His covenant.

Also, the word "blessing" should be understood within the covenantal context, and how it was

demonstrated in the history.

13 Longman, Psalms, 18.

13

In sum, an interpreter should be aware of these principles (analogy, context, and

covenant) as they read and study a psalm. These principles would strengthen one's ability to read

and preach from the book of Psalms, but commentaries should be consulted in order to guide the

study.

Structure

The basic four elements of biblical poetry are: colon, line, strophe and stanza. Colon

refers to one complete phrase. Psalm 3:1, for example, has two cola (plural for colon). The first

colon is "O LORD, how many are my foes!” The second colon is "Many are rising against me;"

These two cola form a line, and the versification of the Bible is based on lines. A line expresses a

single idea. Usually, a line contains two cola (bicolon), but 21 verses (or lines) in the book of

Psalms have only one colon (monocolon).14 Almost 12.5 percent of the verses in the book have

three cola (tricolon)15

Strophe refers to a group of lines that share a similar theme. Commonly two to three

verses (or lines) form a strophe.16 Stanza refers to a group of strophes that shares a similar

theme. Commonly two to three strophes forms a stanza. Biblical poetry has great flexibility in its

structure, so rigid application should be avoided. Detecting similar themes and patterns of speech

provides clues for proper divisions. I will use Psalm 114, an example of well-balanced poetry, to

demonstrate how to structure a psalm.17

14 J.P. Fokkelman, Reading Biblical Poetry: An Introductory Guide (Louisville: Westminster John Knox,

2001), 38. 15 Ibid. 16 Ibid., 37. 17 Ibid., 56

14

Verse Strophe

1a When Israel came out of Egypt, 1

1b the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,

2a Judah became God's sanctuary,

2b Israel his dominion.

3a The sea looked and fled, 2

3b the Jordan turned back;

4a the mountains skipped like rams,

4b the hills like lambs.

5a Why was it, O sea, that you fled, 3

5b O Jordan, that you turned back,

6a you mountains, that you skipped like rams,

6b you hills, like lambs?

7a Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, 4

7b at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8a who turned the rock into a pool,

8b the hard rock into springs of water.

Fokkelman provides helpful analysis of Psalm 114 by saying, "This text has a strictly

binary structure: 1 poem, 2 stanzas (halves), 4 strophes, 8 verses, 16 cola. The first half speaks

about history and contains only third-person forms of the verb in the past tense. The second half,

conversely, is determined by the second person of the address, and by its questions and

commands represents a dynamic present."18 As the analysis demonstrates, to formulate a proper

division of a psalm, the pattern of speech and content should have primary function.

Parallelism

18 Ibid.

15

Now, let us have a closer look at the smaller units (colon and line). As I mentioned

earlier, bicolon is the most common form of a line. The earlier study on the relationship between

two cola categorizes them as synonymous, antithetical or synthetic, but a new understanding has

been formulated. In this understanding, the second colon supplies the first colon or vice-a-versa

to provide a fuller explanation (vivification, amplification and etc.). Here are some examples

from Psalm 96:1-3.

Psalm 96:1-3

1a Sing to the LORD a new song;

1b Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

2a Sing to the LORD, praise his name;

2b Proclaim his salvation day after day.

3a Declare his glory among the nations,

3b His marvelous deeds among all people

Verse 1 repeats "sing to the LORD", and it establishes a fundamental correspondence.

The verse commands to sing to the LORD. The first colon indicates the type of song, "a new

song," and the second colon indicates the subject (or who is to do the singing). In one sentence, it

reads, "All the earth shall sing a new song to the LORD." For a proper understanding of the

verse, further studies like finding the meaning of "new song" and the sense of "all the earth"

(whether literal of symbolic) are required. We will go through them after discussing the colon.

In verse 2, the second colon substitutes "Sing" with "Proclaim", and it expresses that the

purpose of singing is to make the LORD known. The second colon supplies the content and

manner of that proclamation: "His salvation" and "day by day."

In verse 3, "among the nations" of the first colon corresponds to "among all people" of

the second colon, and they indicate the intended audience of the declaration. "His marvelous

16

deeds" answers the question: "What kind of glory?" Beauty, status or action may manifest one's

glory, and by mentioning "His marvelous deeds", it specify the kinds of glory that it refers to.

On a side note, Verses 1-3 share a similar pattern of speech and content. Each colon

(except 3b) starts with a command. Latter verses supply more information about the content of

the proclamation. It starts with "new song," and verse 2 supplies "His salvation" to specify that

the new song is about a new work of salvation. Verse 3 describes it as a "marvelous deed" where

"His glory" is displayed. By using the story of the Bible (or biblical theology), an interpreter

should think about a particular event (i.e.: the Exodus events) in light of its ultimate fulfilment in

Christ. In light of Christ, the New Testament believers have greater reason to declare the glorious

and marvelous work of God.

Pictures and Images

Images fill the pages of the book of Psalms. Phrases like "Flee like a bird to your

mountain," "like the noonday sun" and "like a mighty mountain" invoke certain images. The

nature of such phrases require a more careful analysis, and often times interpreters plant their

ideas rather than consider the psalmist's context. In this section, I want to provide five tips on

how to understand imagery.19

First, we must understand an image as a literal description. Any interpretive procedure

must start from the literal sense of a phrase or a word, and the book of psalms is not an

exception. Psalm 36:6, for example, says "Like a mighty mountains (NIV)," and we must first

19 This section (pictures and images) and the next section (other literary devices) borrow various materials

especially examples from Futato's work in Futato, transformed, 39-50. Also, I might've used his material

inadvertently.

17

think of "mighty mountain" in the literal sense before we move onto other senses. It

communicates an image of a great mountain like one of the Rocky Mountains.

Second, the context controls the meaning of a word. Without context a word does not

mean anything, and sometimes, a single word might express two different meanings. In Psalm

51:7 ("Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."),

the word "snow" expresses pure whiteness. In Psalm 68:14 ("When the Almighty scatters kings

there, let snow fall on Zalmon."), the word "snow" expresses lightness. In these cases, the

context determines the meaning of the word "snow". Therefore, an interpreter should analyze a

context and the possible meanings of a word to determine the right meaning.

Third, we must define the topic, vehicle and tenor of an image. Topic is the subject of a

phrase, and vehicle is the figurative part of the subject. Tenor is the bridge between the topic

and the vehicle. Psalm 37:2, for example, says,

2a For they will soon fade like the grass,

2b and wither like the green herb.

The subject of verse 2a is "they," and according to verse 1 they are evildoers and

wrongdoers. The figurative part of "they" is "the grass." The grass is the vehicle in verse 2a. The

bridge between "they" and "the grass" is the phrase "will soon fade", and the phrase is the tenor

of verse 2c. The tenor explains in what way the subject and vehicle are related. Based on the

context, the word "grass" is used to express its short life - spent and frail.

The subject of verse 2b is "they" from 2a, and the vehicle is "the green herb." The tenor is

"wither," and the word "green herb" expresses its propensity to spoil. An interpreter's job also

includes supplying missing elements. Finding a subject from the previous example (2a) was

easy, but finding a missing tenor is a greater challenge. An interpreter should use the context

(textual, historical and covenantal) to determine the tenor. Using Psalm 36:6 as an example,

18

6a Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

6b your judgments are like the great deep;

6c man and beast you save, O LORD.

Verse 6 is a tricolon line, and the first two cola (6a, 6b) contain two images. Tenors are

missing in both colon. In verse 6a, "Your [LORD's] righteousness" (subject) compares to "the

mountains of God" (vehicle). In such case, the context is the key to determining the meaning of

the image. The surrounding verses indicate that steadfastness describes LORD's character of love

and faithfulness. "Mountains" invokes the image of firmness and endurance. Based on the

context and the character of the mountains, "the mountains of God" expresses that the LORD's

character of righteousness is unmovable and unchangeable.

Fourth, image invites reflection. The previous example (Ps. 36:6a) requires some

reflection concerning the mountains. Various characteristics and properties might flow out as the

result of reflection. In the case of the previous example, durability, stability, size and other

characteristics might arise from an interpreter's reflection. The context becomes a crucial guide

in selecting an appropriate meaning and sense for an image. Without the guidance of context, an

interpretation might lead to an illegitimate totality transfer (using all the meanings) or a selective

use of meaning (using the meaning that an interpreter like best).

Fifth, reflection can be flexible. In our previous example, the mountain communicates the

unmoved character of the LORD's righteousness. This idea in this verse is flexible, which would

include but not be limited to "not coercible," "cannot be thwarted" and etc. A famous phrase

from 23:2a ("He makes me lie down in a green pasture") has an image of "green pasture." This is

also flexible. Peace, a calm ocean, plenty of provision and restfulness could also be included.

Images and pictures are effective ways to communicate meanings with feelings, and an

interpreter must develop skills in extracting them out of a text. I provided five tips to help

19

accomplish this task. The last comment I want to make is that we should try to put ourselves in

the shoes of the pilgrims who had God's promise and traveled to the celestial city. They looked

back and was reminded of God's salvation as they also looked forward to the kingdom of God.

Christians should also look back and reminded of God's salvation through Jesus Christ, and they

should look forward to the kingdom of God.

Other Literary Devices

In this section, I will explain four literary devices: metonymy, synecdoche, hyperbole and

breviloquence. Commentaries often use these terms, so it is essential for an interpreter to know

the meaning of these terms. Metonymy refers to a substitute noun that has a common

association. In Psalm 17:7b ("O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your

right hand."), "your right hand" expresses power and strength. "Your right hand" substitutes for

"power and strength."

Synecdoche refers to the expression of a whole by referring to its part. In Ps 44:6 ("For

not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me"), the verse tries to express that the palmist

would not trust any weapon. In this verse, all weapons is expressed by referring to "bow and

sword."

Hyperbole expresses more than literally intended. The purpose is making a literary

impact rather than an exaggeration. Psalm 118:10, for example, says "All nations surrounded

me." It is unconceivable that all nations literally surrounded a single individual, but by using

such phrase, it invokes feeling about the overwhelming situation.

20

Breviloquence "…is related to the words brief and eloquent and is the omission of words

for the sake of brevity."20 In this case, an interpreter is required to supply additional information

to make sense of a phrase. By utilizing the context and previously mentioned methods, supplying

appropriate information would not be difficult. Here is an example from Psalm 64:12-13,

12a The grasslands of the desert overflow

12b the hills are clothed with gladness

13a The meadows are covered with flocks

13b and the valleys are mantled with grain.

13c They shout for joy and sing.

I am intended to interpret verse 12b by providing a picture of the hills. They are

described as "clothed with gladness." First, "clothed" means "full of." That is easy, but finding

content or "what fills the hills?" requires a bit more work. Surrounding verses indicate "overflow

of grassland," "covered with flocks" and "mantled with grain." These are objects that fill the

hills. Therefore, verse 12b is saying that the hills are full of grain, grass and flock that fills the

farmer's heart with gladness.

Conclusion

We discussed various tools for reading the book of Psalms. Structure provides a better

view of a text for study; hence, organizing a psalm into its proper structure is the first step in

studying a text. Within a structure, we focused on words and cola, and we learned the importance

of context. Its importance extends to extract the meaning of images. Images invoke certain

feelings, but they could be misread without the context's guidance. Thus, they require careful

study. I hope that these tools would help you in your future study. Now, let's turn to sermon

preparation.

20 Futato, Transformed, 49.

21

22

Sermon Preparation

In this section, I will explain and demonstrate how to turn a text into a message for the

Church. First, I want to explain Edmund Clowney's method for preaching the Old Testament.

Clowney laid the foundation for the preaching program for the two Westminster seminaries in

Pennsylvania and California. As a school ("Westminster Theological Seminary in Cambodia")

building after the model of the Westminster seminaries in the U.S., using Clowney's method

seems appropriate. Moreover, his work on preaching provides essential tools for expository

preaching. I plan to explain his four step procedure and apply it to Psalm 1. Then, I plan to

explain how to build a structure of a sermon.

Clowney's Four Step Procedure

Figure 1. Clowney's Chart for Preaching from the Old Testament

23

Step 1 (TE)

Figure 1 summarizes Clowney's method for preaching from the Old Testament. Step 1 is

labeled as "OT text, Event, or Institution," and it is the literal level of interpretation. It answers

the question of "What does the text say?" You should utilize the exegetical tools that you already

have developed through your Old Testament and hermeneutics courses. A study Bible and more

technical commentaries (avoid devotional commentaries at this stage) are appropriate tools for

this step.

Here is an example from Psalm 1.

1a Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

1b nor stands in the way of sinners,

1c nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

2a but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

2b and on his law he meditates day and night.

The first word is blessed (asheray), and it differs from barak, a word that was used in the

Abrahamic covenant. Walter Käser "...argues convincingly that the expression 'blessed is'

represents a form of Wisdom literature in which the author proclaims the blessings of covenantal

life and the joy of living continually in the presence of God, who is faithful from day to day (cf.

94:12; 112:1; 119:1-2)."21 Although they are synonymous, the context seems to point to the

Mosaic rather than the Abrahamic covenant.

The verse illustrates three marks that are NOT found in a blessed man. These three

illustrations have a movement (follow, stand and sit) from following the advice (or council) of

the wicked to settling into the seat of mockers. It seems that wicked try to usher people into sin

and a prideful position.

21 Willem VanGeremen, Psalm, 80.

24

The law of the LORD in verse 2 contrasts the counsel of the wicked in verse 1. The

LORD's law (torah) establishes the fundamental correspondence. The first colon (2a) indicates

the attitude of the blessed person toward the law, and the second colon (2b) indicates his manner.

"Day and night" means every moment.

3a He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

3b In all that he does, he prospers.

4a The wicked are not so,

4b but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Verse 3a invokes a picture of a fruitful tree. We can use the discussion on image. In this

verse, the subject is the blessed man and the vehicle is the tree. Tenor is the descriptions of that

tree ("...planted by streams of water, that yields its fruits in its season, and its leaf does not

wither." Verse 3a expresses bountifulness. One caution is to not use water as the law (or word) of

God, which leads to allegory. Allegory starts from a particular text and jumps to an application

point in preaching (see the bottom arrow in figure 1). Verse 3 simply expresses that the life of a

blessed person is fruitful like a fruitful tree.

The structure of verses 3 and 4 is chiastic (A-B-B'-A). The outer verses (3a-4b) share a

few elements - their vehicles tree (ets) and chaff (mots) rhyme and contrast in meaning, and

"plants" and "drives away" are tenors for respective verses that also contrast. The center (B-B')

has two short cola to create literary impact and show the polar opposite between the two types of

people (blessed and wicked). The center (B-B') is also placed in the middle of the whole psalm,

and this central placement indicates that it is the main theme for Psalm 1.

5a Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

5b nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

6a for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

6b but the way of the wicked will perish.

25

“Therefore” marks the conclusion, and these verses indicate the result of the wicked and

the blessed. The words wicked and sinners are used interchangeably, just like the words blessed

and righteous. The verse is making a point that their fate will come to two different ends.

The word knows in verse 6a has a range of meaning. In this psalm, “acknowledges” or

“recognizes” fits well based on the context. It should read that the LORD acknowledges the way

of the righteous.

The last word is tobed (“perish”), and the first of the psalm is ashrey (“blessed”). The

first word and the last word also describe two polar ends of two types of people. Not only are the

two words opposite in meaning, their first letters are also opposite: the first word starts with

aleph (the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet), and the last word starts with tav (the last). They

express two opposite ways of life and their results. It reinforces the main theme found in its

center (3b-4a).

In sum, two ways of life are proposed: one that follows the advice of the wicked, and one

that follows the words of God. True happiness comes from following the words of God, for

following the wicked person's advice results in an unfruitful life with destruction at the end. This

is the literal sense of Psalm 1. The first step in any sermon preparation is understanding a text in

its literal sense.

Step 2 (T1)

The second step is to understand the significance of the text for the Old Testament people

(or its intended original readers). As a covenant-bearing people who looked forward to the

establishment of God's kingdom, they had a particular understanding of a text. An interpreter's

duty is to find a text's significance to the Old Testament readers. In order to find the significance,

26

Old Testament theology is a helpful tool. Old Testament readers made various connections with

other parts of the Old Testament, because they grew up hearing Moses and the prophets.

Psalm 1, for example, proposes two way of life: one that follows the advice of the wicked

and one that follows the law of God. The blessing and cursing formula is also a central idea

behind the book of Deuteronomy, and the outcome depended on one's performance. God also

reminded Joshua to walk the path of obedience for success (Jos. 1:8). The idea of blessing and

perishing is already embedded in an Israelite's mind.

The story of Adam's fall in Gen. 3 has a clear connection. Adam and Eve had a choice

between God's law and Satan's advice. Adam and Eve follow Satan's advice. As a result, they

became sinners, and they faced unpleasant consequences - an unproductive ground (Gen 3:17)

and death (Gen 3:14).

The Israelites were chosen and God promised to give the kingdom. The condition was to

follow God’s word, but they also failed to establish the kingdom. Various stories express their

failures. The first wilderness generation failed to enter the land of Canaan because they

disobeyed God, and their future generation failed to retain the land of Canaan because they

disobeyed God.

On the other hand, stories of obedience and success are also recorded. Joshua's victory

depended on hearing God's words. The stories of certain judges and kings also provide similar

storylines. Victories of the heroes of faith provide hope, but their success was short-lived. These

stories have one thing in common: their success depended on the leader rather than on the

people. In 2 Chronicles 27:1-6, a story of King Jotham indicates that the king was faithful but

people still followed corrupt practices. The section concludes his kingship by saying, "So Jotham

became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God" (2 Chr 27:6).

27

Overall, successes were short-lived and the kingship ultimately failed. As the post-exilic

people thought about Psalm 1 in light of their history, their main question was whether or not

they could have hope in establishing a blessed nation.

Two tendencies developed from this question. The first tendency was the holiness

movement. Some people thought that if they lived a righteous and holy life, God would grant

them prosperity (i.e.: Pharisees). Other people thought that they were unable to live according to

God’s standard. However, rather than heading toward despair, they approached the LORD with a

broken heart and asked for mercy (cf. 2 Chr 7:14, Ps 51:17) as they were motivated by God’s

promised word to Abraham.

In sum, Psalm 1 led the original readers to rethink the Mosaic covenant. It invited them to

hope for a king (in connection with verse 2) who has the image of the blessed man, and it also

helped them live a life that was fitting for one who waits for the king.

Step 3 (Tn)

Step three makes the connection to Christ. Redemptive history sheds light on this matter.

The stories in the Old Testament of a righteous king are shadows or types that testify to Christ

who is the fulfilment and the prime example of such shadows or types. The story of people's

failure begs the need for Christ, who would stop sin and its effects. Thus the word gospel is

appropriate to describe Christ's work, because His work results in victory over sin and its effects

(death, divisions and etc.).

The Old Testament testifies to Christ’s person, work and/or teaching in various ways. In

light of the New Testament, Jesus is the ideal blessed man that Psalm 1 envisions. The gospel

records the three temptations by Satan; like Adam, Jesus was tested. Unlike Adam, he did not

28

follow the counsel of the wicked, but he declared that "a man shall not live by bread alone, but

every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matt 4.4). Although he died on the cross as like

a sinner, through His resurrection He was vindicated. The resurrection points out that God

acknowledges Jesus, and that Jesus is indeed righteous, having the mark of the blessed man.

People who belong to Jesus will receive the benefits of His righteousness. Book 1 (Ps. 1-

41) is about King David's story of suffering and the establishment of the kingdom. The context

indicates that Jesus is like King David or the perfection of Davidic kingship. People who belong

to Jesus will reap this benefit. Although people are wicked like those in the days of Jotham, they

can still receive the benefit of the kingdom. For this reason, we can have greater assurance, and

this fact leads us to the next and final step of sermon preparation.

Step 4 (P)

Section 4 develops the text's significance for contemporary hearers. It answers the

question "So what?" In order to answer the question properly, people's spiritual reality should be

examined carefully. Although the culture is different, the world suffers from perennial problems

that stem from sin. Saints of the Old and New Testament times look forward to the same

kingdom. The major difference is that the saints of the New Testament are in a better position,

for the Old Testament saints looked to Christ from a far but we have Christ who had already died

and resurrected. Saints of the New Testament have the Spirit, who guarantees the kingdom. Both

Old and New Testament saints have the desire to see the fulfillment of the kingdom, and both

groups use kingdom law to guide their life. Both also live in a hostile world while holding onto

faith in Christ and hope in His kingdom.

29

Happiness comes from living according to God's word. A righteous person, one who lives

according to God’s word is a blessed person. Then, who can be righteous before God? The Old

Testament testifies that “there is no one righteous, not even one.” Therefore, a man's

righteousness (a right standing before God) must come from elsewhere. Concerning this, King

David professed that "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered"

(Ps. 32:1). In light of the New Testament, the only remedy of sin is the blood of Christ. Not only

are our sins forgiven, we are also called righteous before God. Furthermore, in Christ, we are

transformed into the image of Christ, the blessed man.

Building Structure

Introduction

The introduction should invite people to give serious thought to the text. Some preachers

use the introduction to ease the atmosphere of worship, but that is not proper way to use the

introduction. A preacher should approach God's word in a serious manner. This does not mean

that preachers are to be cold and rational, but there has to be pastoral warmth that comes from a

genuine concern for souls. When I prepare an introduction, I use the conventional concept or

idea about a topic in order to make a connection with people hearing the message. Then, I

propose a problem of the conventional ideology to stimulate the mind.

For Psalm 1, the main topic is a life of blessedness. First, I would introduce the

conventional ideology behind "blessing." The world (whether Christian or not) thinks of a

blessed life as a person with wealth and health. Then, I would introduce the conventional

churchgoer's ideology about blessing; often times, they deviate differently from biblical or

30

Christian ideology. They often think that the marks of God's blessing are displayed through

wealth and health. Not only prosperity gospel believers, but in general, numerous Christians have

a degree of equating such earthly blessings as God's blessing. Lastly, I would introduce a brief

summary of the text that sounds contrary to the conventional ideologies of the world and of

churchgoers. For example, I would say, "However, the Bible tells us that blessing is marked by

righteousness."

Body

Formulating major headings and structuring divisions are the primary tasks for preparing the

body. Major headings are like bones in a body. Divisions are not separate units, but they should

support the main point. Divisions should be in logical order. The traditional number of divisions

is three, but it should be flexible. The text should determine the number of divisions.

Here is the structure of Psalm 1 that I came up with:

• Marks of Blessing

o They do not follow the counsel of the wicked.

o They find delight in the law of the LORD.

o Blessing is marked by righteousness.

o Righteousness means having a right standing with God.

• Results of Blessing

o They produce their intended fruit. An apple tree produces apples, and a pear tree

produces pears. A blessed man produces obedience to God's word.

o An assembly of righteousness would be a wonderful community where they love

one another because that is what is required in the law of God.

31

o For this reason, the wicked should not be a part of it, and they will not be.

• Who is blessed?

o Righteousness is the mark of blessing, but the law teaches us that we are sinners.

o We are NOT blessed according to our own deeds.

o There is the good news of Jesus Christ.

o The wicked must suffered the consequences, but on behalf of us, Jesus suffered.

o Also, he lived the perfect righteous life on behalf of us. In him, we are called

righteous. We receive right standing with God in Christ.

o Furthermore, God transforms us into the image of the blessed man in Christ, so we

may enjoy the delights while in this world as we live according to God’s word.

Conclusion

I usually make a brief mention of each major heading in the body. For example, for

Psalm 1 I would say, "A blessed man is a righteous man, who lives by the word of God. They are

worthy to receive the eternal life of happiness. However, there is no one righteous, not even one.

For this reason, Christ came to change our status from wicked to righteous, so we may be called

'blessed.' This comes out of God’s love and grace. Now, I urge you to live the life in accordance

with this title, so you may glorify God and enjoy in Him."

32

Appendix

A Sample Sermon of Psalm 1

This is an actual sermon manuscript/outline that I used to preach at my church. The

sermon was entitled "Two Ways to Live and One Way to Life.”

Introduction

The book of Psalms starts with "Blessed is the man." The word “blessed” is used in a

sense of "fortunate" or "happy." People consider prosperity as blessing. Living a wealthy life,

living a life without any major health problem, going through childhood without any traumatic

event are considered as blessing. They picture a blessed life in terms of wealth, health and

family.

What about Christians? Christians consider God as the source of their blessing, so they

put the possessive noun (“God’s”) before blessing. These are some examples: having a healthy

child is God's blessing. Going through childhood without any traumatic event is God's blessing.

Such list seems very similar to the worldly term of blessing. Some so called "Christians"

consider these things as marks (or signs) of God’s blessing in their life.

What does the Bible say concerning a blessed life? Today's verse tells us that blessing is

marked by righteousness. Right standing before God is the mark of true blessing.

Marks of Blessing

A blessed person is marked by not walking in the counsel of the wicked. I will rephrase

the verse by switching to antonyms. An unblessed person (or a person without blessing) listens to

the advice of the wicked and follow them. Such advice leads them to sin and causes them to

settle down at a seat of mocker. It seems that the wicked usher people to sin and lead them to a

sinful condition.

On the other hand, the blessed person does not listen. Instead, he finds delight in the law

of the LORD. Delight implies following the instruction of the LORD. For example, if a person

loves to fish, it implies that he would take every opportunity to go fishing.

Verses 5 and 6 use the word "righteous" to refer to "blessed." They are synonymous in

Psalm 1. The word "righteous" derives from the word "right." From the biblical perspective, to

33

be righteous means to follow God’s word, because that is the right thing to do. Those who are

called “righteous” have a right standing before God, because they have followed God’s word.

The chapter uses the word "righteous" and "blessed" synonymously. It implies one of the

two facts: 1) righteousness leads to God's blessing, or 2) God's blessing leads to righteousness.

Psalm 1 seems to imply both.

Results of Blessing

Now, I want to explain the result of a blessed man. A blessed man or righteous person

who delights in God's law is like a tree planted by streams of water. In what way? They produce

proper fruit. In other words, everything that they do they produces the intended result.

At the judgment day, the LORD knows the way of the righteous. The word "knows" here

means "recognizing" or “recognition.” In other words, the LORD give a recognition. A righteous

person is blessed, because they produce proper fruit and therefore receive a recognition at the

end of their life.

The wicked, on the other hand, are not so. They do not produce the intended result. They

are like chaff. Chaff is the weightless covering of grain that the wind can easily blow away. They

cannot stand in God's judgment. They will not receive a recognition, because they do not have a

right standing with God. They cannot be a part of an assembly of the righteous.

I want to illustrate why they cannot and should not stand in the assembly of the righteous.

Let us think about an assembly of righteous people. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such a

community, where everyone does what is right in God's eyes?

- There will not be a poor person among them; someone would provide provisions for

them. That is what God required, and any righteous person would obey God's

command and provide provisions for the poor.

- Such a community is not only a future reality, but the church sometimes displays a

partial picture of an assembly of the righteous. Acts 4:34 records, "There was not a

needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them

and brought the proceeds of what was sold."

- In that community, should God allow the wicked to take part? What would happen?

World history tells us that the end result would be dictatorship. Everyone would end

up serving one person.

34

- For this reason, the wicked should not be a part of it, and I am glad that the wicked

cannot be a part of the kingdom that God is building.

Now, the psalm poses us with an important question. Are we blessed or wicked?

Blessed People

- People have two ways to live: by the counsel of the wicked or by the words of God.

- Righteous is the one who follows the words of God. Are you delighting in God's law

and do you follow Him? How would Christians throughout the century answer this

question?

- Gen 3 records a story of Adam and Eve, and it is a classic example of two ways.

Satan (the wicked) gave an advice to eat the fruit from the tree of good & evil, and

God gave an instruction not to eat the fruit.

- Adam and Eve followed the counsel of the wicked and became sinners.

- As a result, the ground no longer produced fruits. Death was pronounced.

- Old Testament history indicates that God gave chance after a chance for people to

choose the right path - but they refused again and again.

- Thus the Bible says, "There is no one righteous, not even one." Who professed this

phrase? King David, who is considered as one of the good characters in the Bible.

- Then how should Christians answer the question?

- In the New Testament, a rich young ruler also had a chance to rectify this. He failed,

because his delight was his wealth, not God's word.

- The Bible proves to us that we will never meet God's standard of living.

- For this reason, we praise God for sending His only begotten Son.

- Jesus was kicked out from the city, forsaken by God and perished on the cross,

because He bore the sin that was ours.

- Furthermore, He is the blessed man that Psalm 1 envisions; He lived the perfect

righteous life. When He was tempted by Satan like Adam, He passed the test, unlike

Adam.

- He said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the

mouth of God." Indeed, He lived by the word of God.

- He lived a perfect righteous life, and He shares the reward with us.

35

- In Him, we are called righteous. Now, we have a right standing before God. We

become a part of the kingdom, the assembly of the righteous.

- That is why we are called “blessed," because we received the blessing rather than

having earned it.

- Furthermore, in Christ, we are being made into the image of Christ, so that we may be

kingdom citizens.

- We believe that in Christ, we will produce the intended fruit. Everything we do,

whether we eat or drink, will give glory to our God.

Conclusion

A blessed man is a righteous man, who lives by the word of God. He is worthy to receive

the eternal life of happiness, but there was no one to receive such blessing from God, for all have

turned from God’s ways. However, the grace of God extends to sinners. He sent His only

begotten Son Jesus Christ. To those who believe, He exchanged His place with them. His status

changed to that of a sinner and He suffered the consequences, while the status of a believer

changed to that of a righteous person destined to receive the reward. This is out of God's sheer

love and grace. For this reason, we praise His name.

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to live a life in accordance with the new title "blessed."

36

Bibliography

Anderson, Bernard W. and Bishop, Steven. Out of the Depths: The Psalms Speak for Us Today.

3rd edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000.

Clowney, Edmund P. "Preaching Christ From All the Scriptures" in The Preacher and

Preaching: Reviving the Art, edited by Samuel T. Logan, 163-191. Phillipsburg: P&R,

1986.

Craigie, Peter C. Psalms 1-50. Word Biblical Commentary, ed. David A. Hubbard, Glenn W.

Barker and John D.W. Watts, no. 19. Waco: Word Books, 1983.

Fokkelman, J.P. Reading Biblical Poetry: An Introductory Guide, translated by Ineke Smit.

Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.

Futato, Mark D. Transformed by Praise: The Purpose and Message of the Psalms. Phillipsburg:

P&R, 2002.

Goldingay, John. Psalms 1-41. Vol. 1 of Psalms. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, ed.

Tremper Longman. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.

Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture. Grand Rapids:

Eerdmans, 2000.

Greidanus, Sidney. Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical

Method. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.

Kaiser, Walter C. Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker

Academic, 2003.

Longman, Tremper. Psalms. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15-

16. Downers Grove: IVP, 2014.

_____. "Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation" In Foundations of Contemporary

Interpretation: Six Volumes in One, edited by Moises Silva, 95-196. Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 1987.

McArthur, John. Rediscovering Expository Preaching: Balancing the Science and Art of Biblical

Expositio. Nashville: W Publishing, 1992.

VanGemeren Willem A. Psalms. The Expositor's Bible Commentary, general ed. Tremper

Longman and David E. Garland, no. 5. Revised edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.

Vanhoozer, Kevin J. “A Drama-of-Redemption model” In Moving Beyond the Bible to Theology,

edited by Stanley N. Gundry, 151-199. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.