An Introduction to the Psalms

José Enrique Aguilar Chiu

This book gives a general introduction to the Psalms at the graduate level. In the first part, the book explains general issues such as titles, numbering, collections, classification, context, poetic structure, language, main theological ideas, and Christian appropriation. In the second part, it studies eleven major categories or families of psalms classified according to their literary genre (e.g., individual supplications, confidence psalms, hymns, etc.) giving a description of the general characteristics of each family, as well as providing the analysis of a psalm as an example for each psalm.

The division of the book in twelve chapters (general issues of the psalms and eleven families of psalms) makes it appropriate for adoption in the course of one semester. In addition, each chapter covers a well-defined family of psalms, including an example, and invites the reader to make the analysis of another psalm of the family being studied. This makes the book suitable for a course engaging the students or readers in active participation and understanding of the book of Psalms.