'This warm and wonderful book will be a tremendous help to very many'__Christopher Ash, Writer-in-Residence, Tyndale House, Cambridge.__  
  
What does it mean to walk in the way of Jesus?  
What if reading the same scriptures that he read, and praying the same prayers that he prayed, made following Jesus easier?

The Psalms are intended for people who would follow Christ along his path of trust and obedience. Andrew Shead shows us that we can follow Christ through the book of Psalms, a journey through many hardships that ends in joy. He combines an appreciation for the overall story of the book of Psalms, the art of reading poetry well, and the discipline of biblical theology to invite you to follow Christ more faithfully.

Walk in the way of Jesus, by following the same path to wisdom he did, through the Psalms.

This warm and wonderful book will be a tremendous help to very many Christians seeking to understand and to pray the Psalms in Christ. In my experience books about the Psalms tend either towards dry scholarship lacking in the richness of Christ or to popular devotion lacking in depth. This book is built on careful scholarship and grapples with the text in the context of the whole Bible with Christ at its centre. But it combines these scholarly foundations with a warm pastoral tone and an understanding of how the Psalms engage with the life of faith in Christ today. I am so thankful for it and warmly commend it.

Having had the privilege of hearing the talks on which this excellent book is based, I am delighted to be able to study them further in written form. This book will be a blessing to all who read it carefully and will draw you closer to the Lord.

With an ease that belies the expertise behind it, Shead fits each of his selected psalms into the grand history of Israel and into the grander history of those who follow Jesus. Satisfying to both scholar and common reader, here is a series of exquisitely crafted meditations that will delight the mind, nourish the heart, and quicken feet to Walk His Way.

The psalms are always spiritually refreshing, but it is easy to read them superficially. This book shows us how to read the psalms deeply, in their Old Testament and biblical context, as poetry full of imagery and emotions. It brings scholarly understanding (of course) but more than that, it takes us through a spiritual story and shows us how walking in Christ's way is deeply satisfying and worth any sacrifice. Reading this, we are brought to the God who walks every step of the way with us. If you want to be the tree whose leaf does not wither, this book shows you how.

As I read the Psalms I often wish to have a spiritual tutor next to me, showing me the deeper meanings of what I am reading, how the Psalter is prayed by Jesus and with Jesus, and how some difficult texts may be reconciled with my own Christian experience. This small book by Andrew Shead serves the role of such a tutor. Through a selection of key psalms, the author offers a valuable lens through which to reflect on the Psalter theologically and prayerfully!

In Walk His Way, Andrew Shead shows himself to be the best of travel guides. Wise and superbly informed, but also compassionate and companionate. Recognising that the Psalms rate as many people's favourite part of Scripture, Shead unveils for us with clarity and sympathy the riches of God's 'hymnbook' for his people. One finds oneself continually refreshed and delighted by sparkling insights, not least of all concerning God's King, the Christ, the promise of whom is fulfilled in Jesus. The Psalms selected for in-depth exposition (the chapters were originally given as talks) traverse the breadth of human experience, and the tension of living (or walking) by faith in a world wrecked by sin. The volume is worth having for the chapter on Psalm 88 alone. Here is a book on the Psalms that will cause you to treasure, and meditate upon them, all the more.

ContentsList of illustrations xi  
Introduction xiii

__1 Psalms 1 and 2: the journey begins 1__  
Through the gates of the library 1  
Psalm 1: the path 2  
Psalm 2: the journey 12  
Travelling in the footsteps of the Messiah 17

__2 Psalm 32: weakness and gratitude 21__  
Finding a plot in the Psalms 21  
Part 1: David's story 23  
Part 2: living the forgiven life 32  
Forgiveness and the Christian life 34

__3 Psalm 69: suffering and hope 39__  
The Psalms as prophecy 39  
The art of lament 40  
Step 1: the cry for help 43  
Step 2: the prayer for salvation 49  
Step 3: the praise of David's God 55  
On suffering with the Messiah 57

__4 Psalm 88: despair and endurance 61__  
Living with the absence of God 61  
The competing realities of Psalm 88 62  
The context of Psalm 88 71  
Death, Jesus and us 72

__5 Psalm 91: the Lord is with you 78__  
Book IV of the Psalms: after the fall 78  
Introducing Psalm 91 79  
The faithful Israelite 80  
Words of assurance, part 1 82  
Words of assurance, part 2 86  
The Lord speaks 90  
Being confident in Christ's service 93

__6 Psalm 118: his love endures for ever 97__  
Psalm 118: the big picture 97  
The hero triumphs 106  
The hero is honoured 111  
The hero is followed 114  
Jesus our hero 117

__7 Psalm 147: what your breath is for 120__  
The end of the journey 120  
Praise the transcendent Creator 123  
Praise the benevolent Sustainer 126  
Praise the Lord whose ways are hidden 130  
Expanding circles of praise 135  
Notes 138  
Further resources and acknowledgments 141

Andrew Shead

Illustrations

Introduction

Psalms 1 and 2: the journey begins

Through the gates of the library

Psalm 1: the path

Psalm 2: the journey

Travelling in the footsteps of the Messiah

Psalm 32: weakness and gratitude

Finding a plot in the Psalms

Part 1: David's story

Part 2: living the forgiven life

Forgiveness and the Christian life

Psalm 69: suffering and hope

The Psalms as prophecy

The art of lament

Step 1: the cry for help

Step 2: the prayer for salvation

Step 3: the praise of David's God

On suffering with the Messiah

Psalm 88: despair and endurance

Living with the absence of God

The competing realities of Psalm 88

The context of Psalm 88

Death, Jesus and us

Psalm 91: the Lord is with you

Book IV of the Psalms: after the fall

Introducing Psalm 91

The faithful Israelite

Words of assurance, part 1

Words of assurance, part 2

The Lord speaks

Being confident in Christ's service

Psalm 118: his love endures for ever

Psalm 118: the big picture

The hero triumphs

The hero is honoured

The hero is followed

Jesus our hero

Psalm 147: what your breath is for

The end of the journey

Praise the transcendent Creator

Praise the benevolent Sustainer

Praise the Lord whose ways are hidden

Expanding circles of praise

Notes

Further resources and acknowledgments

What does it mean to walk in the way of Jesus?  
  
Andrew Shead, an Old Testament specialist and ordained Anglican, suggests that to walk as Jesus walked is going to be easier if we read the same scriptures he did. By treating the Psalms as a book with real discipleship potential for Christians, Andrew shows us that we can follow Christ through the book of Psalms, it's timeless wisdom echoing through the centuries.  
  
This is a guide for difficult times, to strengthen and encourage you in your walk with Christ, especially when following Jesus might feel difficult or unrewarding.

\["A warm book for followers of Jesus","Andrew Shead helps you see the Psalms as a guide to following Christ","You'll find new disciplines of reading and believing to carry with you each day"\]

This warm and wonderful book will be a tremendous help to very many Christians seeking to understand and to pray the Psalms in Christ. In my experience books about the Psalms tend either towards dry scholarship lacking in the richness of Christ or to popular devotion lacking in depth. This book is built on careful scholarship and grapples with the text in the context of the whole Bible with Christ at its centre. But it combines these scholarly foundations with a warm pastoral tone and an understanding of how the Psalms engage with the life of faith in Christ today. I am so thankful for it and warmly commend it.

__- Christopher Ash, Writer-in-Residence, Tyndale House, Cambridge.__

Having had the privilege of hearing the talks on which this excellent book is based, I am delighted to be able to study them further in written form. This book will be a blessing to all who read it carefully and will draw you closer to the Lord.

__- Dr Peter Jensen, former Archbishop of the Diocese of Sydney and Principal of Moore Theological College; Husband, Father and Grandfather.__

With an ease that belies the expertise behind it, Shead fits each of his selected psalms into the grand history of Israel and into the grander history of those who follow Jesus. Satisfying to both scholar and common reader, here is a series of exquisitely crafted meditations that will delight the mind, nourish the heart, and quicken feet to Walk His Way.

__- Havilah Dharamaj, Head of the Department of Biblical Studies, South Asia Institute of Advance Christian Studies__

The psalms are always spiritually refreshing, but it is easy to read them superficially. This book shows us how to read the psalms deeply, in their Old Testament and biblical context, as poetry full of imagery and emotions. It brings scholarly understanding (of course) but more than that, it takes us through a spiritual story and shows us how walking in Christ's way is deeply satisfying and worth any sacrifice. Reading this, we are brought to the God who walks every step of the way with us. If you want to be the tree whose leaf does not wither, this book shows you how.

__- Kirsten Birkett, author of Living Without Fear: Using the Psalms to End your Fear and Anxiety__

As I read the Psalms I often wish to have a spiritual tutor next to me, showing me the deeper meanings of what I am reading, how the Psalter is prayed by Jesus and with Jesus, and how some difficult texts may be reconciled with my own Christian experience. This small book by Andrew Shead serves the role of such a tutor. Through a selection of key psalms, the author offers a valuable lens through which to reflect on the Psalter theologically and prayerfully!

__- Myrto Theocharous, Academic Dean and Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament, Greek Bible College, Pikermi, Greece__

In Walk His Way, Andrew Shead shows himself to be the best of travel guides. Wise and superbly informed, but also compassionate and companionate. Recognising that the Psalms rate as many people's favourite part of Scripture, Shead unveils for us with clarity and sympathy the riches of God's 'hymnbook' for his people. One finds oneself continually refreshed and delighted by sparkling insights, not least of all concerning God's King, the Christ, the promise of whom is fulfilled in Jesus. The Psalms selected for in-depth exposition (the chapters were originally given as talks) traverse the breadth of human experience, and the tension of living (or walking) by faith in a world wrecked by sin. The volume is worth having for the chapter on Psalm 88 alone. Here is a book on the Psalms that will cause you to treasure, and meditate upon them, all the more.

__- Kanishka Raffel, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia.__

By turning to the Psalms as a guide for following Jesus in all seasons of life, Andrew Shead shows that the poetry and theology of the Psalms lays a path for Christians today.

__Andrew G. Shead__ is Head of Old Testament at Moore College, Sydney, where he lectures in Hebrew, Old Testament and music. He is the author of 'A Mouth Full of Fire' (NSBT), 'The Open Book and the Sealed Book: Jeremiah 32 in its Greek and Hebrew Recensions' (Sheffield Academic Press) and numerous articles, essays and reviews.

Walk His Way

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