Psalms

“Readers will find a spiritual director in Bonhoeffer as he guides them in how to apply Psalms into their prayer lives.” –The Banner

“While Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls this book ‘a short stroll through the Psalms,’ it is a valuable guide to these joyful, angry, beautiful, and difficult songs of praise and lament. He terms them ‘earthly prayers’ that allow us to reflect on the long arc of our salvation history as people beloved of God. More importantly, he reminds us that these ancient words, prayed by Jesus, offer a deep human connection to the God who remains with us and will not abandon us.” –Kathleen Norris, author of Dakota, The Cloister Walk, and Acedia & Me

“It was Bonhoeffer’s take on Jesus that eventually led to his early death at the hands of the Nazis. He was a Christ-centered theologian. All that Bonhoeffer did as a Christian was derived from that central focus. In these pages, Bonhoeffer demonstrates his deft exegetical skill as he reads the Psalms with a christological focus. It is continued evidence of the depth of his insights that his Christ-centered interpretation remains relevant today.” –Reggie L. Williams, author of Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus and professor of Christian ethics at McCormick Theological Seminary

“This book is a classic, plain and simple. As a classic it has stood the test of time, not simply because it has functioned as an expert guide to the prayer book of the Bible but because it has served for decades to nurture Christians in the way of prayer–wholehearted, gutsy, honest-to-God prayer–and will surely continue to do so for generations to come.” –W. DAVID O. TAYLOR, associate professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and author of Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life

“Here an extraordinary Christian shows us the power of Israel’s Psalms to renew our minds in Christ, as well as the spiritual alertness and discipline that entails. Framed by the later witnesses of Bethge and Brueggemann, this small yet beautifully complete volume testifies to how Bonhoeffer kept the faith of Christ in extreme times, as we must do.” –Ellen F. Davis, Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke University

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of the most significant Protestant theologians of the twentieth century, a legacy sealed by his imprisonment in a German concentration camp and eventual execution. His resistance against Nazism and pivotal role in the Confessing Church movement have been key points of illumination for many on the nature of Christian political witness and action. Millions have been inspired by his rich reflections on the Christian life, especially his beloved works on discipleship and ethics. As a professor, seminary leader, and ecumenical theologian, Bonhoeffer’s work also profoundly shaped academic theology, especially systematic theology, and the life of the church.

Walter Brueggemann was William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary until his death in 2025. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, he is still regarded as the premier Old Testament interpreter and biblical theologian. Among his many publications are Prophetic Imagination and Old Testament Theology.