Grace Evangelical Society

P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202
  • About
    • Home
    • Beliefs
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Resources
    • Grace in Focus Magazine
    • Grace in Focus Radio
    • Free eBooks
    • Journal of the GES
    • Book Reviews
    • Partners in Grace Newsletter
    • Audio Messages
    • Videos
    • Blog
    • Su Gracia Gratuita (Spanish Blog)
    • Graça sem limites (Portuguese Blog)
    • Email Subscription
    • Bookstore
    • Online Tracts
  • Store
    • Main Page
    • On Sale
    • Return Policy
    • Your Cart
    • Your Account
  • Events
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Free Grace Church and Bible Study Tracker
    • Free Grace Jobs
    • Ministry Links
  • Donate
    • One Time Donation
    • Monthly Donation
    • Your Account
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Home
→
Journal Articles
→
Book Reviews
→
Preaching Christ from Psalms: Foundations for Expository Sermons in the Christian Year

Preaching Christ from Psalms: Foundations for Expository Sermons in the Christian Year

Posted in Book Reviews

Preaching Christ from Psalms: Foundations for Expository Sermons in the Christian Year. By Sidney Greidanus. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2016. 595 pp. Paper, $40.00.

Sidney Greidanus is professor emeritus of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary. He is well known for advocating a redemptive-historical approach to preaching, and has a series of books showing how to preach Christ from the OT, including Preaching Christ from Genesis; Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes; Preaching Christ from Daniel; and now, Preaching Christ from Psalms. These all grow out of the hermeneutic outlined in his book, Preaching Christ from the Old Testament.

Greidanus defines preaching Christ as “preaching sermons which authentically integrate the message of the text with the climax of God’s revelation in the person, work, and/or teaching of Jesus Christ as revealed in the New Testament” (p. 5). He warns against forced interpretations that eisegetically read Christ back into the psalms. Instead, he believes “from the message of a psalm we can certainly move forward to Jesus in the New Testament” (p. 5).

Preaching Christ from Psalms begins with 45 pages of general hermeneutical questions about interpreting the Psalms, and then gives an exposition of 23 Psalms, showing how to exegete the text and see how they can “move forward to Jesus.”

For each Psalm, Greidanus follows a systematic pattern of analysis, including doing literary and historical interpretations, and formulating the Psalm’s theme. Then Greidanus suggests several “Ways to Preach Christ” in each Psalm, and I found his comments in this area to be especially thought-provoking. The different ways in which he suggests we can preach Christ from the text include looking for promise-fulfillment; longitudinal themes; redemptive-historical progression; analogy; typology; New Testament references; and contrast.

For example, in Psalm 72, Greidanus sees in the prayers for the reigning king an implied promise “of a great coming King—romises that are fulfilled in Jesus’ First and Second Coming” (p. 105).

In Psalm 146, Greidanus sees an analogy between the works of the Lord mentioned in vv 6-9, and Jesus’ works mentioned in Matt 11:3-5 (p. 126).

In Psalm 80, Greidanus understands the prayer for God to restore His people as pointing to the climax of redemptive history, when God sent Jesus to save His people from their sins (p. 145).

In Psalm 2, Greidanus sees a typology of the future Messianic kingdom, as supported by eighteen NT references (p. 224).

Whether it is examining the structure of a Psalm, determining its theme, or suggesting ways of preaching Christ from the text, Greidanus provides so many excellent comments and insights that I happily recommend this book, especially for pastors and people engaged in a teaching ministry. Preaching Christ from Psalms is an excellent resource for helping those Scriptures come alive.

Shawn Lazar

Associate Editor

Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
Shawn Lazar

by Shawn Lazar

Shawn Lazar (BTh, McGill; MA, VU Amsterdam) is the Editor of Grace in Focus magazine and Director of Publications for Grace Evangelical Society. He and his wife Abby have three children. He has written several books including: Beyond Doubt: How to Be Sure of Your Salvation and Chosen to Serve: Why Divine Election Is to Service, Not to Eternal Life.

Cart

Recently Added

April 9, 2021

Dios Recompensa a los Que le Buscan

Una de las cosas que realmente aprecio del movimiento de la Gracia Gratuita en general, y de la GES en particular, es cómo nos ha...
April 9, 2021

Romans–Part 2–Romans 1:16 (concl.), Romans 10:1

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. We are currently going through a series, where we look at five books in the new testament, to see...
April 9, 2021

You Can At Least Put Up With One Another (Ephesians 4:2)

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness,...

Grace in Focus Radio

All Episodes

Listen to Stitcher

Listen on Spotify

Grace In Focus Magazine

Grace In Focus is sent to subscribers in the United States free of charge.

Subscribe for Free

The primary source of Grace Evangelical Society's funding is through charitable contributions. GES uses all contributions and proceeds from the sales of our resources to further the gospel of grace in the United States and abroad.

Donate

Bookstore Specials

  • Here Walks My Enemy: The Story of Luis (Paperback) $6.95 $3.95
  • The Hungry Inherit $15.00 $7.00
  • The Grace New Testament Commentary (Revised Edition) $35.00 $25.00
  • Turn and Live: The Power of Repentance $15.00 $7.00
  • Faith Alone in One Hundred Verses $18.00 $9.00
Grace Evangelical Society
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

(940) 270-8827 / ges@faithalone.org

4851 S I-35E Suite 203, Corinth, TX 76210
P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202

Tweets by GESwebmaster