The book of Psalms is a favorite of Christians, even though we frequently read it in portions and pieces, hopscotching through the familiar and avoiding the odd, the unpleasant, and the difficult. But though the individual psalms arose from an assortment of times, experiences, and settings, the book is composed in a deliberate pattern, not as a random anthology. The meaning of the Psalms is discovered in this pattern and order.

Michael Wilcock has written a travel guide to the Psalms. In this first volume, he invites us to begin our journey through the gateway of Psalms 1 and 2, with their summons to obedience. In the second volume, The Message of Psalms 73–150, he ends with Psalm 150 and its song of praise. In between we pass through all the complexities of faith—the conflicts, burdens, mysteries, and sufferings of life. In these laments and praises, hymns and liturgies, the Bible continues to speak clearly today.

Part of the beloved Bible Speaks Today series, The Message of Psalms 1–72 offers an insightful, readable exposition of the biblical text and thought-provoking discussion of how it relates to contemporary life. Used by Bible students and teachers around the world, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for anyone studying or preaching Scripture and those who want to delve deeper into the text. This edition features lightly updated language, the current NIV Bible text, and a new interior design.