This slim volume by German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was first published in German in 1940 before the Nazis banned the theology teacher from publishing. It was later translated and published in English in 1974. Readers will find a spiritual director in Bonhoeffer as he guides them in how to apply Psalms into their prayer lives.
Bonhoeffer considers the Psalms to be “an incomparable treasure” for the church. His reflections provide another window into his theological ruminations on suffering, lament, and hope. Like Martin Luther, Bonhoeffer begins by connecting the Lord’s Prayer with the book of Psalms. As he writes, “If we wish to pray with confidence and gladness, then the words of Holy Scripture will have to be the solid basis of our prayer. For here we know that Jesus Christ, the Word of God, teaches us to pray.” This lens not only reframes his interpretation of Psalms, but it allows for the reader to develop a direct and active spiritual imagination. Just as biblical theologian Walter Brueggemann writes in the Preface of this reprinted volume, “We do well to ask of every Psalm: How does this Psalm sound when we listen to it from the lips of Jesus?”
As if speaking against trends in society in 1940, Bonhoeffer addresses questions many believers have today: How should I pray for destructive people? How do I proclaim my righteousness while remaining humble before God? How does God speak to me through injustices and suffering? It is one thing to hear a bible teacher answer these questions from pure head knowledge. It is another to read Bonhoeffer’s answers knowing how this young theologian lived out his teachings by facing evil and death. Equally worth reading is the epilogue, a 20-page biographical sketch of the martyred German theologian by his friend Eberhard Bethge. This section completes Bonhoeffer’s devotion with a witness to his life and times. (Broadleaf Books).
About the Author
Mary Li Ma is a member of Plymouth Heights CRC church in Grand Rapids, Mich. She holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University and now works as a research analyst for a national research center on education equity.