Reviewing a biblical commentary is difficult. The necessary brevity is in direct competition with the theological depth of the book and the book it’s commentating.
In this case it is The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary (Volume 1, Introduction: Christ and the Psalms). There are four volumes, and this is just the first.
It says immediately in the preface regarding the author’s convictions, “The Psalms are essential to the life of the Christian church and that Christ is central to the Psalms.” That’s consistent with the title, as well as the general perspective of Crossway, the publisher. This is important as it undergirds the following 400+ pages.
Unlike many commentaries, this can be read like an ordinary book as opposed to a reference book. That’s partly because this is an introduction. The other three volumes examine the Psalms in order, with roughly 50 per book. Here, however, Christopher Ash argues his case, helping Christians and others understand the direct relationship between the Psalms and Jesus.
Christopher Ash writes intelligently, but it reads comfortably. It’s accessible by non-theologian thinking readers. It’s well-cited, drawing from classic and modern sources alike.
It’s by no means a quick read, and it will help you to have your Bible handy as well as the internet. You’re going to chase a few rabbits along the way, but they are good rabbits helping you understand the larger part of this book. You might, for example, do as I did and wonder about Clement of Alexandria, or want to get a little deeper into Charles Spurgeon. Ash explains enough to whet your appetite, but you’re going to explore beyond this book as well.
It’s divided into three parts:
“Christ and the Psalms”
“Doctrine and the Psalms”
“Christian History and the Psalms”
If you are doing a sermon series about Psalms or want to do a rich study on your own, this is the book to start. I would get a print version, which I have, as opposed to an ebook for this particular book.
So far, it’s the best book I’ve read all year.
Note: While this review is 100% my view, I do get a small cut of this and any purchase you make when you click through to Amazon. Thank you!