The Psalms rank among the most important books of the Old Testament, yet to many the 150 songs, prayers and poems remain obscure and inaccessible. This book offers a nwe general introduction to the Psalms. Professor Seybold guides the reader through the most important aspects of the history and form of the Psalm texts and the major questions of critical scholarship, and discusses leading writers on the subject. A wide range of specific topics is covered: historical background, literary form, classification, and parallels in other soruce of ancient literature. The section on Library Form provides a useful introduction to the speech patterns of Hebrew verse, written in such a way that students without Hebrew may also benefit. The final chapters deal with the way the Psalms have been interpreted and used in worship over the last 2000 years. This is a book to help the student find his or her bearings and to suggest directions for further study. It will be an invaluable textbook for all students of Old Testament and Biblical Studies, as well as literature generally, and of great interest to all those who approach the Psalms for the first time.Klaus Seybold is Professor of Old Testament Studies at the University of Basel. R. Graeme Dunphy is a Minister of the Church of Scotland in Culloden.