There are a number of excellent commentaries on the book of Psalms. Most of the commentaries published recently, however, have either been limited in scope (almost all being one volume) and/or have targeted a more popular audience. This makes the publication of Hossfeld and Zenger’s commentary on the book of Psalms in the Hermeneia series all the more noteworthy.

Frank-Lothar Hossfeld and Erich Zenger. Psalms 2.
Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible. Fortress, 2005.
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Hossfeld and Zenger are two of the top scholars working on the psalms in Germany today. Their research is well-known both on the continent and internationally and is characterized by attention to detail and a comprehensive grasp of both primary and secondary literature. Their approach is multifaceted, though they have been leaders in the new emphasis on the redaction and editing of the book of Psalms.

This first volume (covering Psalms 51-100) is a translation of their volume in the Herders theologischer Kommentar zum Alten Testament series (Buy from Amazon.ca – Buy from Amazon.com), which is a first-rate critical commentary on the Psalms. As such, it is volume 2 of a three-volume work: volume 3 (Psalms 101-150) will be published next, followed by volume 1 (Psalms 1-50), which will include the comprehensive introduction. Their more popular commentaries in Die Neue Echter Bibel series are also worthy of consideration for those who can read German:

Frank-Lothar Hossfeld and Erich Zenger. Die Psalmen I. Psalm 1-50.
Die Neue Echter Bibel. Echter, 1993.
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Frank-Lothar Hossfeld and Erich Zenger. Die Psalmen II. Psalm 51 – 100.
Die Neue Echter Bibel. Echter, 2002.
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Frank-Lothar Hossfeld is Professor of Old Testament at the University of Bonn, Germany. He is the author of Der Dekalog (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1982) and Untersuchungen zu Komposition und Theologie des Ezechielbuches (Echter, 1977). Erich Zenger is Professor of Old Testament at the University of Muenster, Germany. He is the author of numerous works, including To Begin with, God Created (Michael Glazier, 2000), and A God of Vengeance (WJK, 1996).

This commentary is a must-have for all scholars interested in the book of Psalms. Look for my full review in the Journal of Hebrew Scriptures. For a fairly comprehensive survey of commentaries on the book of Psalms, see my Old Testament Commentary Survey: Psalms.

In line with my previous post on Kidman and DiCaprio, I came across these pictures of Saddam Hussein and Ernie Kovacs (as Percy Dovetonsils) and thought I would do another “Twins Separated at Birth” feature. So what do you think?

By some nimble surfing I discovered that there are two new “Glory Golf Balls”! The new balls have “those who seek me diligently, find me” and “But, seek first His kingdom” on them in bright red ink. Here are some pictures:

The manufacturer produces these as well as “Holy Socks”! Get yours today…

Here is an excerpt from story from the scotsman.com called “Bible text balls promise a holy hole in one“:

GOLFERS feeling below par and in need of divine inspiration could do worse than attend a church exhibition in the Capital. The Scottish Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE), at Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre, will feature a set of three Glory Golf Balls, each inscribed with Bible text. One reads: “. . . but each shall go out straight ahead”, Ezekiel 46: 9; while another says: “Lift up your eyes on high and see . . . not one is missing”, Isaiah 40:26. The third reads: “I have finished the course. I have kept the faith”, 2 Timothy 4:7.

I could have used some of these balls — especially a bunch with the Ezekiel quote — for my round of golf on the weekend!

Update: After publishing my blog entry I noticed that Jim West over at Biblical Theology blog also noted this article, though he didn’t see the humour in it! (Of course, perhaps the sad thing is that many sincere people (including the manufacturers?) don’t see the humour in stuff like this either! This sort of “Jesus Junk” reminds me of an excellent book by Colleen McDannell called Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America (Yale University Press, 1995; Buy from Amazon.ca | Buy from Amazon.com), in which she examines the role these sort of material artifacts have played in Christianity and Mormonism.)