Book Review: Psalms for Everyone, Part 1

Today I'm giving a brief review of a new title in SPCK's popular 'For Everyone' bible commentaries. This is John Goldingay's "Psalms for Everyone: Part 1, Psalms 1-72", which joins my collection of volumes in the series. I'm lucky to have all of Tom Wright's New Testament volumes, and currently my Old Testament collection includes: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua Judges and Ruth, and the previously reviewed 1 and 2 Chronicles and Ezra Nehemiah and Esther. Goldingay's offerings are, as I have observed before, a friendly, relaxed and accessible way into studying individual books of the Bible.

Goldingay divides the Psalms into two parts - and I look forward to getting my hands on the second volume - and I think his work is based on his longer, three-part (!) commentary on the Psalms. Interestingly, though, the author notes that the translation (Which, like Wright's NT volumes, is his own) is a different translation than that of his earlier, larger commentary. On a personal note, he is upfront about the impact of his first wife (who passed away after suffering from multiple sclerosis) on this text, noting that "Our shared dealings with her illness and disability... contribute significantly to what I write", which I did notice throughout this volume, but in ways that seemed to me to bring out the truth and relevance of the Psalms: words from real people, about and to a real God, in real life.

As is common with the 'For Everyone' series, Goldingay offers us a helpful introduction, noting important things about the nature of the Old Testament as a whole, and the humble observation that in writing this accessible commentary his "hesitation is that you may read me instead of the Scriptures. Don't fall into that trap". I was grateful to read that, and I think it should be present on every page of every commentary! The introduction also includes a helpful one-page overview of the Old Testament. What is perhaps most helpful about the introduction, however, and something that is borne out into the rest of the book, is Goldingay's observation that "The book of Psalms includes about 135 examples of things you can say to God". This is important, and demonstrates the full breath of human emotion that we see in the Psalms.

Some readers will be frustrated by Goldingay's assumption "that we know more or less nothing about the authorship and date of the Psalms", but it it interesting that he thinks that "Paradoxically, this helps rather than hinders our appreciating and using them". In fairness, though, this book is light on scholarly observations and isntead focused on demosntrating the relevance of the Psalms to modern people, and the timeless truth that "the Psalter is present in Scripture to teach us". Each of the Psalms is offered up without qualification or comment for us to read, and the Goldingay offers a helpful reflection. These vary in quality and utility, in my mind, from things that could be helpful sermon illustrations, to those which are not quite so useful.

Overall, then, this is a solid addition to the 'For Everyone' Old Testament series, and I look forward to the follow-up volume. I am a big fan of Calvin's commentary on the Psalms, but don't currently own any other commentaries (other than the potted versions found in one-volume bible commentaries), so Goldingay's offering is a welcome addition to my library, particularly with its helpful introduction and glossary of terms.