Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible Paperback – January 1, 1974

I ordered this because I am leading a small group focusing on prayer this semester. In this group I wanted to pray through the Psalms and study how God uses the Psalms to focus our prayers and to give us words to say when our hearts fail us.This book is a classic no matter what I say about it. But I am really enjoying the book and its practical approach to the Psalms.

I love this little book. It is a beautiful insight to reading of the Psalms. I studied the Psalms as I read each chapter and it opened up my mind to another level of understanding. God is amazing!

It would be hard to imagine a better introduction to the use of the Psalms in prayer. Bonhoeffer, a martyr under Hitler, lived in a time of intense suffering and anxious care. For him, the Psalms are a gift for shaping prayer.Perhaps you think you need no help in praying, that the idea of structure and order in praying kills your free expression. Let Bonhoeffer argue otherwise, for better praying by Psalms praying. Perhaps you are puzzled by the anger of the Psalms or the strong language used of enemies? Or you find it troubling that the Psalms deal so candidly with sin, with inner anguish? I could go on. Bonhoeffer addresses all the questions, in a way that helps you use the Psalms.But best if all, he shows you how Jesus prayed the Psalms and how he prays them with us when we pray the Psalms.The book is brief, with short chapters. It is worthy of reading again and again. It will make the Psalms an even richer means of praying to God.

Bonhoeffer,Dietrich is a great name in the history of Christian church. I would suggest those who haven't read his other great books, should go over first the "Biographical Sketch" at the end of this tiny book, so that he can understand more about all the little pieces in this book which reflects a great heart that is worshiping the God at any time, especially in the author's dramatic experience.We,as the laymen in this post-modern soicety, can also learn to live a life full of praise, full of joy, full of blessings to the others, as we learn to know after reading this book, that Bonhoeffer used to be a Christian soldier who was true to the Lord to the end of his life.I also suggest upon reading this little book, wherever the author mentioned the numbers of Psalms, please stop and read those Psalms at the same time when reading the author's view point, in this way they can enhance your underdstanding of the insights of the writer.Finally, it is my personal view that Bonhoeffer's contribution to the true Christianity, is like Beethoven's pieces to the German Symphony.Listening to Beethoven's string quartet should always be a joyful entertainment for understanding more about the composer's inner thoughts.So does when reading this little book written by the author. A tiny rain drop reflects the whole image of the sun.

Surprisingly brief, this little book has some excellent insights into the Psalms, and can help us pray even the difficult ones. Clearly Bonhoeffer prayed and struggled through the Psalms and used them to relate directly and personally with God for decades. It reads like a book written 80 years ago. The courage of Bonhoeffer, in Nazi Germany, to write a book about the very Jewish book of the Psalms, and calling the Jewish people "God's chosen people," got him banned from further publishing and eventually contributed to his imprisonment. It is well worth reading both for its insights and its author and place in the history of Nazi Germany.

This is a very small book. It is too small to be a commentary on the Psalms. It is also too small to provide an adequate introduction to the Psalms.Nevertheless, I think it sufficiently accomplishes its purpose. It helps us to begin praying with the Psalms. Prudence must be exercised here because no book can actually teach us how to do this. We learn in the doing. The book does give us good reason for beginning to do this. It gives the reader insights into the reality of what is actually happening when we do this, for instance, "The Christian will find scarcely any difficulty in the praying of these Psalms. However, the question could arise as to how one is to think about the fact that Christ also prays these Psalms with us."The Master, Bonhoeffer also gives us situations wherein we can find prayerful help in praying the Psalms. The following are a sampling:SUFFERING: The Psalter gives us ample instruction in how to come before God in a proper way, bearing the frequent suffering which this world brings upon us.... They do not deny it or try to deceive us about it with pious words.... Because it happens with God's will, indeed because God knows it completely and knows it better than we ourselves, only God can help."GUILT: "There is such a thing as the confident leaving behind of sin for the sake of Jesus Christ."THE END: "... the Psalms request fellowship with God in earthly life, but they know that this fellowship is not completed in earthly life but continues beyond it, even stands in opposition to it."In these situations, Bonhoeffer points us to the Psalms most useful to us, for instance the Psalms of Lamentation.It's a very small book worth the read.

Excellent for prayer study and for a Psalms overview. All the Bible points to Jesus and the author shows us how the Psalms is no exception. Knowing that the Psalms I shall read are also taken upon Jesus' lips is a real comfort to me. This book is short and not for detailed analysis of every Psalm but it is definitely worth a read, especially for beginner studies.

Just did not enjoy this narrator's presentation of the text.

Very readable and thought provoking book on the Psalms helping Christians to understand what it means to pray these ancient words in the company of Jesus.

In this short book Bonhoeffer reminds that even the Psalms are a gift to us from Jesus as the Son of God give to us through the Holy Spirit to help us come before God in all situations of life.

A Christmas present

Best book on prayer, it teaches our spirit, soul and heart, but the head may not understand so much.

It was needed for a course at Queen's College, at St.John's, Newfoundland, Canada. It is an amazing book!!!