The book of Psalms has been precious to countless people across many languages, countries and centuries, expressing their hopes and fears, stirring their faith and renewing their trust in God. Through the Psalms the spiritual insight of ancient Israel has had a lasting effect on the human race.

The Psalms are also of great interest to biblical scholars, and that study is in the middle of a sea change: a generation ago the dominant approach examined individual psalms in relation to their literary forms and cultural function, where attention has since moved toward the shape and message of the Psalter as a whole. This collection, edited by David Firth and Philip S. Johnston, sets out the issues and the approaches.