Unpack the poetic power of the Psalms—their artistry, structure, and influence on literary and liturgical tradition.

The Psalms occupy a unique place in the religious, literary, and cultural traditions of the Western world. This volume seeks to deepen understanding of these ancient texts by situating them within their historical, liturgical, and literary contexts.

For some, the Psalms are encountered primarily through the worship practices of the Church, raising questions about their origins and the processes by which they became integral to liturgical life. Others approach the Psalms as instruments of devotion—texts for meditation, lectio divina, and spiritual formation. Still others regard them as works of literature, exploring their poetic structures, thematic richness, and enduring influence on English verse and other literary traditions.

Accessible through multiple disciplinary approaches, this volume presents critical insights and historical perspectives that deepen understanding of the Psalms’ compositional complexity, reception history, and theological significance. Grounded in rigorous scholarship, it provides analytical tools for examining the Psalms as influential religious texts and as exemplary achievements of ancient poetic literature.