The Psalms: A Historical and Spiritual Commentary with an Introduction and New Translation

Remarkably enough, there is a scarcity of modern commentaries on the Psalms for the more general reader, despite the fact that, after the Gospels, they are probably the most widely-read part of the Bible. Clergy read the Psalms in rotation as part of the daily offices, the Psalms are a regular part of the Church's worship, and the Book of Psalms is a spiritual classic in its own right. No one is more qualified to write on the Psalms than John Eaton. He is a distinguished Old Testament scholar, now retired, and has spent a lifetime studying the Psalms. He has a broad life: in pastoral work, in animal sanctuary work and in concern for the environment and ecology, which gives him great sympathy for these, the most wide-ranging compositions of all. This commentary is addressed to the widest possible readership. There is a long and fascinating introduction giving a contextual background; then follow the 150 Psalms, each in Eaton's translation. He explains the background to the Psalms and their content in a way which makes them interesting and relevant to the present. The discussion of each Psalm ends with a related Christian prayer, either from the tradition or written by Eaton himself.