Includes bibliographical references (p. 436-447) and indexes.

The familiar and yet unfamiliar world of the Psalms -- Textual criticism -- Sense rhythms of the Psalms -- Historical and source criticism -- Superscriptions -- Psalm genres and form criticism -- Redaction criticism -- Canonical criticism -- Rhetorical or literary criticism -- Reader-oriented criticism -- Appraisal of the various types of criticism -- Use of the Psalms today -- Excursus : the Davidic Psalms -- Exegesis -- Book 1 -- Book 2 -- Book 3 -- Book 4 -- Book 5 -- Theological horizons of Psalms -- The Psalter's key theological themes -- The basic convictions of the psalmists -- The covenants and the theological significance of the exile -- Yahweh as the God of the future, the God who plans, the God of the Messiah and His kingdom -- The contribution of the psalter to biblical theology -- A warm doctrine of God -- A firm and confident doctrine of historical revelation -- A heartfelt and expanding sense of community -- A profound doctrine of sin -- A realistic doctrine of suffering -- A responsive doctrine of prayer and worship -- An unshakable doctrine of the Messiah -- The Psalter's relevance to present-day theological and other issues -- God and creation -- Humanity and sin -- Christ's person and work -- The grace of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the Christian life -- The church -- The last things -- Holy Scripture -- Appendix : preparing a sermon on a Psalm.