The Psalms possess an enduring fascination for us. For frankness, directness, intensity and intimacy, they are unrivaled in all of Scripture. Somehow the psalmists seem to have anticipated all our awe, desires and frustrations. No wonder Christians have used the Psalms in worship from the earliest times to the present.
Yet the Psalms cause us difficulties when we look at them closely. Their poetry is unfamiliar in form. Many images they use are foreign to us today. And the psalmists sometimes express thoughts that seem unworthy of Scripture.
Tremper Longman gives us the kind of help we need to overcome the distance between the psalmists' world and ours. He explains the various kinds of psalms, the way they were used in Hebrew worship and their relationship to the rest of the Old Testament. Then he looks at how Christians can appropriate their message and insights today. Turning to the art of Old Testament poetry, he explains the use of parallelism and imagery.
Step-by-step suggestions for interpretating the psalms on our own are followed by exercises for further study and reflection. Also included is a helpful guide to commentaries on the Psalms.
The Genesis flood account has been probed and analyzed for centuries. But what might the biblical author have been saying to his ancient audience? In order to rediscover the biblical flood, we must set aside our own cultural and interpretive assumptions and visit the distant world of the ancient Near East. Walton and Longman lead us on this enlightening journey toward a more responsible reading of a timeless biblical narrative.
The book of Numbers has had a renaissance in scholarly engagement in recent years. This Tyndale Old Testament Commentary by Peter Altmann and Caio Peres distills that conversation with sensitivity and rigor, illuminating Numbers for the contemporary reader while seeking to make God's Word a source of blessing, nourishment, and hope for all.
The Psalms have been well-loved and frequently used by Christians throughout history. For directness, intensity, and intimacy, they are unrivaled in all of Scripture. Somehow the psalmists seem to have anticipated our own awe, desires, and frustrations.
Yet the Psalms also challenge us when we look at them closely. Their poetry is unfamiliar in form. Many images used are foreign to us today. And the psalmists sometimes express troubling thoughts that seem hard to reconcile with other teachings of Scripture.
In this volume of the popular How to Read Series, Tremper Longman III gives us the kind of help we need to overcome the distance between the psalmists' world and ours. He explains the various genres of psalms, the way they were used in Hebrew worship, their relationship to the rest of the Old Testament, and the characteristics of Hebrew poetry. Then he looks at how Christians can appropriate the message and insights of Psalms today.
Step-by-step suggestions for interpreting the psalms on our own are followed by exercises for further study and reflection, plus a helpful guide to commentaries on the Psalms. This second edition includes expanded content, updated sources, and a new appendix on the structure of the book of Psalms.
The book of Psalms is the heart of the Old Testament. It also anticipates Jesus Christ. In this Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, Tremper Longman interprets each psalm in its Old Testament setting, summarizing its overall message and reflecting on its significance from a New Testament perspective.
A New Updated Edition of a Beloved Favorite!
Within the realm of sacred texts, Genesis stands as a pillar--a foundational book that shapes the Torah, the Old Testament, and ultimately the entire Christian Bible. Through its rich tapestry of stories and images Genesis often leave readers pondering the deeper meanings hidden within its verses. In the latest installment of the bestselling How to Read Series, Tremper Longman III offers an enlightening path to grasping what Genesis is meant to communicate to both its original readers and contemporary audiences.
How to Read Genesis, 2nd Edition gives readers an invaluable guide that:
Building upon historical, cultural, and literary context, How to Read Genesis, 2nd Edition will not only enhance your knowledge, but will also foster a deeper connection with the text and its timeless wisdom.
Longman has long been known for his ability to analyze disparate literary genres and historical elements of scripture while crafting a solid Christological perspective-and on this point, he does not disappoint. That is, he seeks to provide space for Genesis as literature, myth, history, and at last, ways to read Genesis as a Christian, a perspective that he identifies as preposterous and distorting, and yet, not only prompted by Jesus himself (as in Luke 24) but absolutely needed in the context of current Christian teaching and preaching. ... This is a short, valuable, and timely look at a misunderstood book. - Library Journal Review, February 2025
To read Genesis intelligently, we must consider the questions, the literature, and the times in which Genesis was written. In How to Read Genesis Tremper Longman III provides a welcome guide to reading, studying, understanding, and savoring this panorama of beginnings-of both the world and of Israel. And importantly for Christian readers, we gain insight into how Genesis points to Christ and can be read in light of the gospel.
Following the format of the Essentials series (as designed by Greg Ogden, author of Discipleship Essentials), this comprehensive guide from Tremper Longman offers a survey of the Old Testament for use in the context of a small group. Each study contains a question-answer format, a field-tested inductive Bible study and questions to draw out key principles.
While many proverbs speak to us directly, we can gain much greater insight by studying the book of Proverbs as a whole. In How to Read Proverbs Tremper Longman III provides a welcome guide to reading, studying, understanding, and savoring the Proverbs for all their wisdom. Most important for Christian readers, we gain insight into how Christ is the climax and embodiment of wisdom.
Tremper Longman provides a box-seat guide to Exodus, discussing its historical backdrop, sketching out its literary context, and developing its principal themes, from Israel's deliverance from servitude to Pharaoh to its dedication to service to God.
Failing to read Daniel well means missing a critical part of God's message to us. Orienting readers to a proper engagement with Daniel, Old Testament scholar and teacher Tremper Longman III examines the book's genre, structure, historical background, and major theological message before diving deeper into each of the stories and visions.