I requested this book (Reading the Psalms as Scripture by James M. Hamilton, Jr.] because I love the psalms and read them frequently. I also read scripture so I was interested in how Hamilton would use the lens of scripture in general to illuminate the psalms.

I found the book fascinating. Hamilton begins by examining the Psalter as a book with the structure of a book. I have never thought of the psalms as an entire book. I have focused on individual psalms and their meaning to me, as well as being moved by the beauty of so many of them but not on their relationship to each other and to the rest of the bible. I recognized many lines as quoted later in the Gospel or echoing other lines or stories I'd read in the older books but didn't think much about it. I certainly never stopped to think in any depth about it. Hamilton describes the Psalter as consisting of 5 books, each with an interior structure as well as a structure that ties them together as a whole.

Hamilton does a comprehensive job analyzing structure. He illuminates connections between specific psalms, connects each psalm with the stories in other scripture. Even more strikingly, he presents the Psalters as having a narrative structure and convincingly describes the way in which this is true, how each psalms corresponds and deepens a segment of Scripture. He also uses the little takes under the Psalms' number (such as "A Psalm of David") which I've never paid any attention to as having meaning, being clues as to how the Psalms fit in with scripture. The first two books of the Psalter correspond, for example, with stories about David.

He always analyzes the technical structure of the Psalter, the ways in which the psalms are constructed and tie in to each other, sometimes one mirroring another. He writes about some of the many techniques used in the psalms, such as acrostics, repetition and imagery.

The psalms are poems--this was something I already knew--and Hamilton gives suggestions about how to best understand and appreciate these works of art--individually in addition to how they interact with each other and the rest of scripture. He recommends memorizing psalms as the best way to get "inside" them--I have personally found this a wonderful way to understand and appreciate the psalms.

In some ways, this is a "how to" book. In addition to memorizing psalms, Hamilton suggests analyzing each psalm by looking at images and themes, repetition of words and phrases. He also recommends becoming steeped in the entire bible as a way to better understand the psalms.

The book is relatively short, but I found myself stopping to read the psalms analyzed as well as the book itself. I would like to reread the book, spending even more time with each psalm Hamilton discusses.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lexham Press, and the author for providing me with a copy of this excellent book.