Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 147:586 (Apr 1990)
Article: Guidelines for Understanding and Proclaiming the Psalms
Author: Gregory W. Parsons

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BSac 147:586 (Apr 90) p. 169

Guidelines for Understanding and Proclaiming the Psalms

Greg W. Parsons

Professor of Biblical Studies
Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary, Jacksonville, Texas

At first glance the Psalms are among the most inviting sections of the Bible for the preacher because of how well loved and familiar they are to believers. Yet, though the Psalms are perennial favorites widely read for devotional purposes, for counseling and ministering to the sick, and for public worship, they apparently are rarely preached or taught.1 Stevenson vividly describes this paradox:

Writers of hymns and makers of sermons are drawn to the psalter as bees are drawn to a field of clover. The heavenly nectar is there for the taking—or so it seems at first glance. Nevertheless, what minister has not been captured by a psalm, only to be defeated and humiliated in his attempt to turn it into a sermon?2

Donald E. Gowan’s book on preaching the Old Testament, Reclaiming the Old Testament for the Christian Pulpit, has discussions on every portion of the text except the Psalms. He seeks to justify this omission by saying they are primarily words addressed to God rather than oracles from God. He recommends that “we ought to pray them and sing them rather than preach them.” However, he does recognize that a few psalms are didactic, being addressed to fellow human beings, and thus appropriate for preaching.3 Therefore

BSac 147:586 (Apr 90) p. 170

he offers a few comments on one wisdom psalm.4 Achtemeier states that some people maintain it is impossible to preach from the Psalms.5

Are the Psalms to be restricted to personal devotions and reading in public worship? Or is it feasible and proper to preach these wonderful words? Are there any hermeneutical or homiletical keys to help unlock this treasure chest of inspirational gems? The present writer asserts that the answer to the last two questions is yes.

However, anyone wishing to proclaim the Psalter properly encounters the general dilemma of how to be true to the biblical text and yet relevant to modern mankind. As Kaiser has pointed out, sermons frequently emphasize one of two extremes: a historical recounting of the biblical stories with little attempt to show any relationship to the present; or a dynamic message that speaks to contemporary needs, but with little exegetical basis in the biblical text.6 Kai...

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