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Stephen I. Wright Preaches Psalm 32
The Penitential Psalms: The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Seven Psalms has just been published. It is available directly from the publisher, Wipf and Stock, and is a project in which eleven authors contributed chapters—producing a book aimed at reigniting interest in Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143. The final four Continue reading
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Cover Reveal for ‘The Penitential Psalms’
Publication of The Penitential Psalms: The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Seven Psalms is imminent. So now seems like a good time to reveal its cover. The cover was designed by Savanah N. Landerholm of Wipf & Stock. The cover photograph is of Roger Wagner’s The Flowering Tree, a stained-glass window installed in St. Continue reading
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“Well, I’m Back”: A New Book’s Oxford Connections
This blog has been somewhat neglected by me over the past 12 months, or so. This is not because of any loss of enthusiasm regarding the psalms. Quite the opposite. Much of my spare time has been spent on editing the book: The Penitential Psalms: The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Seven Psalms. I Continue reading
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I wish it could be Christmas every day
Based on a short address delivered on 22nd December 2024 at QE Park Baptist Church, Guildford, UK. As such it is most appropriate to the UK-based reader. It was a sunny day in late August, during my summer holiday in North Wales, that I first saw items in a shop specially promoted as Christmas presents. Continue reading
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Bread in the Desert
Luke 4:3–8 and Deuteronomy 8:1–6 Trusting in the Desert The desert has long been associated with Christian spirituality. As a harsh environment it necessitates trust in God and his provision. Other than the struggle for survival there are few distractions. The desert, or wilderness, speaks of testing too. Even in modern Western culture it has Continue reading
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A Review of Tim Judson’s ‘Awake In Gethsemane’
Tim Judson, Awake in Gethsemane: Bonhoeffer and the Witness of Christian Lament, Waco, Texas: Baylor Press, 2023. 220 pages. ISBN 978-1-4813-1830-3 I have never singled out the cover designer in a theological book review before, but Kasey McBeath deserves a mention here. The dark olive tree cover motif conjures Gethsemane before the book is even Continue reading
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Blessed are they that Mourn
1. As Blossoms Smitten by the Rain When did you last shed a tear? Was it a tear of joy, sadness, or some other emotion. I am prone to well-up when something gets to me in terms of humour. Tim Vine—a contemporary English comedian—in particular gets to me. When I listen to him, the first Continue reading
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Psalm 126: Dancing with Tears in Our Eyes
This Vale of Tears This psalm speaks of a tension in this life between joy and tears. As human beings we tend to learn of both joy and tears before we even have any serious understanding of the world in which we live. Who hasn’t seen (or heard!) a baby’s tears? Who hasn’t been delighted Continue reading
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Psalmtweets: A spriritual project
I have been ‘Psalmtweeting’ for around a decade. I work through the Psalms, one-by-one and day-by-day, starting with Psalm 1 and working through them in canonical order. The main reason I decided to do this was to give me a focus each day for engaging with Scripture as a spiritual discipline. Having done the whole Continue reading
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The Origin Story of the Penitential Psalms: The Seven Assemble
This post is as much a call for comment and expert feedback as it is informative. It explores the question of when was it that the Seven Psalms – Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143 – were fixed as a group and designated the Penitential Psalms. It might sound like an odd Continue reading
About Me
This blog’s central aim is to explore all aspects of how the Psalter (the biblical psalms) functions as Scripture today.
To this end it will also include book reviews on the Book of Psalms and related topics.
Some posts will reflect more broadly on biblical interpretation or hermeneutics.
If you like what you see here and want to arrange for me to give a lecture, run a teaching event or a short retreat based around The Psalms then contact me so we can discuss how this might work.
PsalterMark 