W. H. Bellinger, a leading authority on the Psalms and a seasoned teacher, presents an updated edition of his successful introduction to the Psalms. This accessible and concise primer takes account of the latest developments in Psalms studies. Not only will students of the Psalter appreciate these studies but church leaders teaching from the Psalms will also gain new insight from this classic text. Praise for the First Edition "The study of the Old Testament Psalter has undergone great changes during the twentieth century in an effort to recover a fuller awareness of its original setting and purpose. Bellinger's book admirably fulfills the task of exploring the many insights of modern scholarship on the psalms in order to clarify the faith to which they bear witness. It does this by showing the real-life situations that occasioned the formulation of prayers of complaint and praise, opening up a warm sense of the humanity and faith that they nurtured. Readers will find a great richness of scholarship here set out in vigorous and exciting language to make plain that the Psalter retains a powerful challenge for the present day. These psalms explore the whole range of human experience and provide a vehicle by which faith can become articulate and sharply focused, even when faced with pain and doubt. The sheer honesty of these prayers challenges contemporary complacency." --Ronald E. Clements, King's College, University of London "Bellinger has created an excellent primer for the Psalms. I like his use of examples in each section and his references in each chapter to what has gone before." --Victor Matthews, Southwest Missouri State University