Preaching Christ from Psalms: Foundations for Expository Sermons in the Christian Year

by Sidney Greidanus

Overview

In this penultimate volume of his series on preaching Christ from the Old Testament, Sidney Greidanus offers expert guidance for busy pastors on preaching Christ from Psalms.

Beginning with a general introduction on how pastors can interpret and preach from the biblical psalms -- and why they should -- Greidanus proceeds by discussing twenty-two psalms in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, supplying the building blocks necessary to preach from Psalms at Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and other major days and seasons of the church year. In addition to laying out basic homiletical-theological approaches suitable for each selected psalm, these chapters also provide verse-by-verse exposition, bridges to Christ in the New Testament, and ideas for placing the psalmist's words into contemporary context.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802873668
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	11/10/2016
Pages:	615
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Sidney Greidanus is professor emeritus of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary and author of several books, including Preaching Christ from the Old Testament and Preaching Christ from Daniel.

Table of Contents

Table of Psalms Studied xii

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Abbreviations xix

1 Issues in Preaching Christ from Psalms 1

Objections to Preaching Psalms 2

Is It Proper to Preach Biblical Prayers? 2

Is It Proper to Preach Christ from Psalms? 4

Literary Interpretation of Psalms f 9

Literary Forms (Types) of Psalms 9

Poetic Devices Used in the Psalms 12

Rhetorical Structures 21

The Literary Contexts of the Psalm 23

Historical Interpretation of Psalms 28

The Psalm's Original Historical Setting 28

The Psalms Later Historical Settings 30

Theocentric Interpretation of Psalms 31

The Theocentric Focus of the Psalter 31

The Theocentric Context of the Old Testament 32

Christocentric Interpretation of Psalms 33

The Context of the New Testament 33

Seven Ways of Preaching Christ from Psalms 34

Preaching Psalms 37

Preaching Poetry 37

Appeal to the Emotions 38

Selecting the Preaching Text 39

Generating Questions about the Psalm 39

Determining the Psalm's Theme and Goal 40

Formulating the Sermons Theme, Goal, and Need Addressed 40

Producing the Sermon Outline 42

Applying the Psalm 42

Reading the Psalm in the Worship Service 44

Using Verses of the Psalm in the Liturgy 45

Preaching Series of Sermons on Psalms 45

2 "Happy Are Those Whose Delight Is in the Law of the LORD": Psalm 1 46

Advent - Year A

3 "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem": Psalm 122 (121) 76

4 "Give the King Your Justice, O God": Psalm 72 (71) 94

5 "Happy Are Those Whose Help Is the God of Jacob": Psalm 146 (145) 119

6 "Restore Us, O LORD God of Hosts": Psalm 80 (79) 138

Christmas - Years ABC

7 "Sing to the LORD a New Song": Psalm 96 (95) 157

Epiphany - Years ABC

8 "May the Kings of Seba and Sheba Bring Gifts": Psalm 72:8-11 (71:8-11) 177

Baptism of the Lord - Years ABC

9 "The Voice of the LORD IS Powerful": Psalm 29 (28) 190

Transfiguration Sunday - Year A

10 "I Will Make the Nations Your Heritage": Psalm 2 214

Ash Wednesday - Years ABC

11 "Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God": Psalm 51 (50) 240

Lent - Year A

12 "Happy Are Those Whose Transgression Is Forgiven": Psalm 32 (31) 272

13 "The LORD Is Your Keeper": Psalm 121 (120) 296

14 "Let Us Make a Joyful Noise to the Rock of Our Salvation": Psalm 95 (94) 316

15 "The LORD Is My Shepherd": Psalm 23 (22) 340

16 "Out of the Depths I Cry to You, O LORD": Psalm 130 (129) 364

Palm Sunday - Years ABC

17 "O Give Thanks to the LORD!": Psalm 118 (117) 380

Good Friday - Years ABC

18 "My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?": Psalm 22(21) 405

Easter - Years ABC

19 "This Is the Day That the LORD Has Made": Psalm 118:10-24 (117:10-24) 436

Ascension - Years ABC

20 "God Has Gone Up with a Shout …, with the Sound of a Trumpet": Psalm 47 (46) 447

Pentecost - Years ABC

21 "Bless the LORD, O My Soul!": Psalm 104 (103) 469

Trinity Sunday - Years AC

22 "O LORD …, How Majestic Is Your Name in All the Earth!": Psalm 8 502

Christ the king - Year A

23 "Make a Joyful Noise to the LORD, All the Earth!": Psalm 100 (99) 528

Appendixes

1 Ten Steps from Text to Sermon 549

2 An Expository Sermon Model 551

3 A Meditation on Psalm 23 553

4 Sermons on Psalms 72 and 80, by Ryan Faber 556

5 A Sermon on Colossians 1:15-20 Roy Berkenbosch 570

6 Series of Sermons on Psalms 579

Select Bibliography 586

Subject Index 591

Select Scripture Index 594

Editorial Reviews

Bryan Chapell
--Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois
"No one has been more influential in this generation of preachers, and in my life personally, than Sidney Greidanus on the necessity of Christ's purposes pervading all biblical exposition. I welcome this latest contribution to his extensive body of work that has so blessed Christ's church."

Ray Ortlund
--Immanuel Church, Nashville, Tennessee
"The Lord is accomplishing a great work of gospel resurgence in our generation. Sidney Greidanus in particular has contributed by helping us pastors preach the Christian gospel accurately and confidently from the entire Bible. Now Greidanus has increased our debt of gratitude with Preaching Christ from Psalms. I expect this book to have a lasting impact not only because of the perennial appeal of the Psalms but also because of the insightful ways Greidanus connects the Psalms with Jesus and his gospel."

Michael Duduit
--Preaching magazine
"Greidanus offers exegetical and literary observations, theological analysis, and expository material that will be a treasure chest of valuable content for any preacher or teacher. He has given yet another gift to his colleagues in the church through this book that will find a valued place on the shelf of many a preacher."

Tremper Longman III
--Westmont College
"I have long admired Sidney Greidanus's writing on preaching from the Old Testament. The Old Testament is often neglected in the pulpit because many think it to be irrelevant to Christians. In this book Greidanus reveals the richness of the Psalms and helps us discover their theological and Christological significance."

Stephen M. Coleman in Bulletin for Biblical Research
"In Preaching Christ from Psalms, Greidanus has taken on a massive project and has executed it with the rare mix of breadth and depth that makes this sort of endeavor a success. Unsurprising for anyone familiar with his previous work, Greidanus compiles and presents a staggering amount of scholarship in a lucid and accessible way. As the title indicates, this volume is geared toward preachers. However, much of the material will be of interest to teachers and students of the Bible who desire a hermeneutical framework that sees Christ as the fulfillment of the psalms."

Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology
"This book is a gold mine for preachers who wish to expound the Book of Psalms. . . . Preachers will find this book to be an invaluable compendium containing multiple fascinating insights into the psalms which provide exciting grist for the interpretive-homiletical mill."

From the Publisher