Reactions to God: Man's Response to God's Activity in the palms - Leonard Griffith (Used Paperback)
 
Reactions to God: Man's Response to God's Activity in the Psalms by Leonard Griffith is an insightful and accessible exploration of the Book of Psalms, examining the many different ways in which human beings respond to the presence and activity of God. Published in 1979, the book selects around twenty Psalms and considers their continuing relevance to the experiences, emotions, questions, and struggles of modern life.
Griffith approaches the Psalms not simply as ancient religious poetry but as expressions of recognisably human experience. Within them he finds people responding to God through joy and praise, but also through uncertainty, fear, frustration, questioning, and sorrow. His central insight is that the writers of the Psalms bring the whole of human experience into their relationship with God—even their doubts.
Among the Psalms discussed are Psalms 8, 11, 19, 22, 24, 32, 39, 40, 42, 48, 73, 84, 90, 91, 100, 104, 127, 130, 138 and 146. Griffith considers people at moments when they feel secure or vulnerable, joyful or downcast, confident or confused, exploring how these different states find expression through prayer and worship.
The book explores:
The Psalms and the human experience of God
Prayer, praise, lament, and thanksgiving
Faith during periods of doubt and uncertainty
Fear, joy, suffering, and spiritual confidence
Biblical spirituality and everyday life
The continuing relevance of the Old Testament Psalms
Humanity's varied responses to the divine
This title will appeal to readers interested in:
The Psalms and Old Testament studies
Christian spirituality and devotional reading
Biblical commentary and interpretation
Prayer and worship
Faith, doubt, and religious experience
Practical and pastoral theology
Griffith combines biblical scholarship with the accessible voice of an experienced preacher and pastor. A contemporary review praised the book for bringing together pastoral understanding, observation, scholarship, illustrations, and quotations, making it particularly suitable for ministers and preachers as well as general readers seeking a deeper understanding of the Psalms.