Not being of his religious persuasion made this a very interesting read for me. W.B. is definitely a good writer and has a great grasp of the psalms. I think his idea of Psalms of Orientation, Disorientation and Reorientation definitely needs to be considered by churches of all persuasions. Thank you very much Mr. Brueggemann for writing this book.

This is not a verse-by-verse or section-by-section commentary on all of the Psalms. Rather it is a commentary on several of the Psalms with a focus on theology. It is also written with an admirable pastoral sensitivity. Brueggemann selects the specific Psalms that best fit his paradigm for the book. This Paradigm involves three "moves": Orientation, Disorientation, and New Orientation. He argues that the Psalms should first be studied as the pre-Christian, Jewish documents that they are. But he recognizes the parallels between this paradigm and New Testament's teaching about Christ — specifically his humbling himself by leaving his glorious position to become a flesh and blood human and then eventually being exalted by God. He also recognizes the similarities in the transformation experienced by Christians. At times it is difficult to find what the author has to say about a specific Psalm because of his topical arrangement. Nevertheless, most of his comments are provocative in the best sense of the term. This book introduces a somewhat unique yet enriching approach. It is well worth reading.