Psalms For All Seasons

At one time, the Book of Psalms held a central place in the worship of biblically faithful churches. In many congregations, however, the Psalter has become neglected—not only are the psalms not regularly sung, but the public reading of them has been limited to occasions when the text of the sermon is taken from that part of Scripture.

But the Psalms were written for regular use in the community of God’s people assembled for worship. All the various workings of God’s grace in the life of his people call for celebration. Whether speaking specifically of the Messiah, or calling God’s people to confession, praise, or prayer, the Psalms summon the church to celebrate the bounties of God’s multi-faceted gifts.

O. Palmer Robertson here examines twenty-five psalms, reflecting the variety of messages and structures found across the entire Book of Psalms. The author argues that originally the Psalms were intended to be used with interactive congregational responses and his translations reflect this understanding.

This book aims to help congregations rediscover the riches of the Psalms in their fullness, that the full-orbed testimony of the Psalter, as it touches every experience of weal and woe in the life of God’s people, may again find a voice in the current worship of the church.

Table of Contents 

Introduction 1

Psalm 1 The Way of the Righteous Magnifying God’s Law 5

Psalm 2 Submitting to the Son Magnifying God’s Messiah 17

Psalm 8 The Measure of a Man What is Man? 31

Psalm 11 The Tried and the Trusted Trusting God through Trial 43

Psalm 14 The Atheistic Fool The Folly of Atheism 57

Psalm 15 Abiding Securely in Holiness Holiness Assures Safety 71

Psalm 16 Overcoming Life’s Last Enemy Preservation even in Death 83

Psalm 32 A Guidebook for the Guilty The Blessedness of Sins Forgiven 97

Psalm 44 A Prayer of the Perplexed The Plea of an Innocent Sufferer 115

Psalm 80 The Man at God’s Right Hand Lamentation, but with Hope in God’s Saving Hero 139

Psalm 82 The Judge Judges the Judges God Judges Human Authorities 163

Psalm 84 Yearning for God’s House The Blessings of Worship 175

Psalm 87 Born Again in Zion A Missionary Psalm 189

Psalm 91 Abiding Safely in His Presence Safety through Trusting God 199

Psalm 95 Worshipping God your Rock Worship God Rather than Hardening Your Heart 215

Psalm 96 A New Song about the Old Story Singing a New Song to the Lord 227

Psalm 99 ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ Practical Effects of God’s Holiness 241

Psalm 106 Trust and Obey Summoning the Disobedient to Trust and Obey 255

Psalm 110 The Glories of Our Priestly King The Messiah as Priest and King 269

Psalm 113 ‘Hallelujah’ for God’s Help to the Humbled Give Praise to the Lord for His Help 283

Psalm 118 A Eucharistic Psalm Messiah’s Deliverance from Death 297

Psalm 126 Rejoicing over Restoration Joy at Deliverance from Exile 311

Psalm 128 The Happy Hearth Blessing in Life’s Basics 321

Psalm 132 From Cross to Crown God Confirms the Covenant with David 335

Psalm 146 Praise the Covenant Lord, Help of the Helpless Praise God for His Mercy to the Needy 349

Appendix On the Translation of the Divine Name