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The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms
Renowned pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller writes the book his readers have been asking for: A year-long daily devotional, beautifully designed with gilt edges and a gold ribbon marker.
The Book of Psalms is known as the Bible’s songbook—Jesus knew all 150 psalms intimately, and relied on them to face every situation, including his death.
Two decades ago, Tim Keller began reading the entire Book of Psalms every month. The Songs of Jesus is based on his accumulated years of study, insight, and inspiration recorded in his prayer journals. Kathy Keller came to reading the psalms as a support during an extended illness. Together they have distilled the meaning of each verse, inviting readers into the vast wisdom of the psalms.
If you have no devotional life yet, this book is a wonderful way to start. If you already spend time in study and prayer, understanding every verse of the psalms will bring you a new level of intimacy with God, unlocking your purpose within God’s kingdom.
The Book of Psalms is known as the Bible’s songbook—Jesus knew all 150 psalms intimately, and relied on them to face every situation, including his death.
Two decades ago, Tim Keller began reading the entire Book of Psalms every month. The Songs of Jesus is based on his accumulated years of study, insight, and inspiration recorded in his prayer journals. Kathy Keller came to reading the psalms as a support during an extended illness. Together they have distilled the meaning of each verse, inviting readers into the vast wisdom of the psalms.
If you have no devotional life yet, this book is a wonderful way to start. If you already spend time in study and prayer, understanding every verse of the psalms will bring you a new level of intimacy with God, unlocking your purpose within God’s kingdom.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2015
About the author
Timothy J. Keller
404 books5,357 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Timothy Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. For over twenty years he has led a diverse congregation of young professionals that has grown to a weekly attendance of over 5,000.
He was also Chairman of Redeemer City to City, which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for faith in an urban culture. In over ten years they have helped to launch over 250 churches in 48 cities. More recently, Dr. Keller’s books, including the New York Times bestselling The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 15 languages.
Christianity Today has said, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”
Dr. Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as the pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Director of Mercy Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Timothy Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. For over twenty years he has led a diverse congregation of young professionals that has grown to a weekly attendance of over 5,000.
He was also Chairman of Redeemer City to City, which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for faith in an urban culture. In over ten years they have helped to launch over 250 churches in 48 cities. More recently, Dr. Keller’s books, including the New York Times bestselling The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 15 languages.
Christianity Today has said, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”
Dr. Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as the pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Director of Mercy Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
July 30, 2018
The benefit of reflecting on Psalms for a year is remarkable. Consistently visiting verses about pain, praise, God, His people, and promise is so powerful for one's faith, and the insights that the Kellers offer are deep and rich too.
February 20, 2024
Very well written daily devotional which proceeds through the Psalms in order, and has a commentary and prayer to accompany every day's reading.
December 31, 2021
I'm fairly certain that if a mediocre writer were to exposit five verses at a time of God's Word over the course of a year, he or she would be seen as gifted by association. So, given the fact that Timothy Keller combines this blessed undertaking with his own God-given skill with appropriate self-disclosure as well as the ability to confront and uplift the reader, this is a special book.
SECOND READING: Last year, I appreciated it. This year, I lived it. I like to think I'm cool and objective, but this year, which includes ongoing, unexpected unemployment, I've had appropriate intervals to identify with pleas for forgiveness, pleas for justice, and pleas for forgiveness. If there is a "downside", is that the Scriptures themselves are jumping off the page before I even get to Keller's insights.
THIRD READING: This book, and of course the psalmody it follows scrupulously, offer a slow-motion revolution for the heart. A few verses at a time, Keller and the biblical text seem to address every idol of the heart and to subsume it in corresponding aspects of the character of the Godhead. The sentries who protect what we believe wrongly about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are picked off so quietly in such an unassuming fashion that the reader hardly realizes to what extent the stronghold of the mind has changed hands by the end of the year. If your experience is like mine, reluctance for repetition melts. I'll be embarking on, I think, my fourth journey through this book in 2019.
FOURTH READING: Keller's comments are secondary. They are scaffolding, and I'm sure he would have it so. His is the framing to encourage the contemplation of the Word of God as a daily and delectable habit.
SECOND READING: Last year, I appreciated it. This year, I lived it. I like to think I'm cool and objective, but this year, which includes ongoing, unexpected unemployment, I've had appropriate intervals to identify with pleas for forgiveness, pleas for justice, and pleas for forgiveness. If there is a "downside", is that the Scriptures themselves are jumping off the page before I even get to Keller's insights.
THIRD READING: This book, and of course the psalmody it follows scrupulously, offer a slow-motion revolution for the heart. A few verses at a time, Keller and the biblical text seem to address every idol of the heart and to subsume it in corresponding aspects of the character of the Godhead. The sentries who protect what we believe wrongly about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are picked off so quietly in such an unassuming fashion that the reader hardly realizes to what extent the stronghold of the mind has changed hands by the end of the year. If your experience is like mine, reluctance for repetition melts. I'll be embarking on, I think, my fourth journey through this book in 2019.
FOURTH READING: Keller's comments are secondary. They are scaffolding, and I'm sure he would have it so. His is the framing to encourage the contemplation of the Word of God as a daily and delectable habit.
December 28, 2016
This is a great devotional which I started last November and finished almost within a year. It covers the entire book of Psalms, my favorite Bible book. Even as I say that I feel that maybe we shouldn't have favorites but I do. The Kellers, Tim and Kathy, join together to create a devotional that does not get bogged down in illustrations. Each day has a passage from the Psalms, some days it is a whole Psalm, often a partial one, a short discussion of the verses, and a prayer.
I like to read a short devotional every day after my own personal devotions but I generally stick to old favorites such as Streams in the Desert or My Utmost for His Highest. This book will definitely go into the rotation.
I like to read a short devotional every day after my own personal devotions but I generally stick to old favorites such as Streams in the Desert or My Utmost for His Highest. This book will definitely go into the rotation.
December 24, 2020
"The psalms are in the end, a miniature of life. Every possible experience, if prayed to the God who is really there, is destined to end in praise. Confession leads to joy of forgiveness. Laments lead to a deeper resting in him for happiness. I we could praise God perfectly, we would love him completely and then our joy would be full. The new heavens and the new earth are perfect because everyone and everything is glorifying God fully and therefore enjoying him forever."
You have your favorite Psalms: Psalm 23, Psalm 19, Psalm 51, or Psalm 121 perhaps. Have you spent much time in the other 100+ Psalms? This devotional takes you through every verse in a year with a daily devotional and a prayer. In 2014 I decided to begin memorizing the Psalms. Since then I have been spending time daily as I work through each chapter. After 6+ years, I am just to Psalm 97. This devotional was an enlightening complement to my memory project and reminded me of the many passages I have yet to enjoy. Thank you, Timothy and Kathy Keller, for this labor of love. Highly recommended!
You have your favorite Psalms: Psalm 23, Psalm 19, Psalm 51, or Psalm 121 perhaps. Have you spent much time in the other 100+ Psalms? This devotional takes you through every verse in a year with a daily devotional and a prayer. In 2014 I decided to begin memorizing the Psalms. Since then I have been spending time daily as I work through each chapter. After 6+ years, I am just to Psalm 97. This devotional was an enlightening complement to my memory project and reminded me of the many passages I have yet to enjoy. Thank you, Timothy and Kathy Keller, for this labor of love. Highly recommended!
December 31, 2019
A well produced Daily Devotional based around the Psalms. Keller's argument is that:
We are not simply to read psalms; we are to be immersed in them so that they profoundly shape how we relate to God. The psalms are the divinely ordained way to learn devotion to our God.
and he follows this through with a brief exegesis and a suggested prayer on each reading.
I read on a Kindle version and it would have been nice (although I realise hard to deliver) for there to be links through to underlying Scriptural verses quoted from other books of the bible, without having to drop out of this e-book and in to another.
Keller at times comes from a relatively conservative perspective culturally - he argues quoting Psalm 119, that the psalmist says that “all your words are true” (verse 160; see also 151). Everything the Bible asserts is true. It must be followed, regardless of our emotional likes, cultural custom, or popular opinion, which, while I agree with the first part of the argument, I would counterargue on the 2nd that interpretation of the bible requires appreciation of its cultural context, along with careful prayer and inspiration from the Spirit.
But the true star of this book is the words of the Psalms themselves, taken in order. Running from the reminder in Psalm 2 (one that speaks to each age, particularly politically troubled ones) that:
Psalm 2: 1–4.
1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the LORD scoffs at them.
to the final praise-orientated Psalms:
Psalm 150.
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
Amen
We are not simply to read psalms; we are to be immersed in them so that they profoundly shape how we relate to God. The psalms are the divinely ordained way to learn devotion to our God.
and he follows this through with a brief exegesis and a suggested prayer on each reading.
I read on a Kindle version and it would have been nice (although I realise hard to deliver) for there to be links through to underlying Scriptural verses quoted from other books of the bible, without having to drop out of this e-book and in to another.
Keller at times comes from a relatively conservative perspective culturally - he argues quoting Psalm 119, that the psalmist says that “all your words are true” (verse 160; see also 151). Everything the Bible asserts is true. It must be followed, regardless of our emotional likes, cultural custom, or popular opinion, which, while I agree with the first part of the argument, I would counterargue on the 2nd that interpretation of the bible requires appreciation of its cultural context, along with careful prayer and inspiration from the Spirit.
But the true star of this book is the words of the Psalms themselves, taken in order. Running from the reminder in Psalm 2 (one that speaks to each age, particularly politically troubled ones) that:
Psalm 2: 1–4.
1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the LORD scoffs at them.
to the final praise-orientated Psalms:
Psalm 150.
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
Amen
July 1, 2016
It seems harsh to award such a low rating to a book that I know - from numerous conversations - has enriched and encouraged many Christians. Personally I have found Keller's succinct devotions and prayers a help, a rewarding resource, and often the much-needed injection of biblical truth to cope with life, with its mundanity and myriad challenges.
However, I have found Keller's light-handedness on the Psalter quite frustrating and (more seriously) a little irresponsible. What Keller models in this wonderful collection of theological treasures is loose Bible handling and the all too common approach today of spiritualising Scripture. I cede that this is a devotional, and not a technical commentary, but that doesn't waive the need for us to be mindful readers of Scripture, carefully considering the context of passages and asking the important questions about situation and original meaning.
I would not discourage anyone from purchasing a copy of this book and working through it. You will be helped in your Christian, challenged by your sin, reminded that Jesus is worthy of all praise, and moved to heartfelt and thoughtful prayer. However, you won't be helped in knowing how to read the Psalms (or any part of the Bible for that matter) yourself and translating that into prayer
However, I have found Keller's light-handedness on the Psalter quite frustrating and (more seriously) a little irresponsible. What Keller models in this wonderful collection of theological treasures is loose Bible handling and the all too common approach today of spiritualising Scripture. I cede that this is a devotional, and not a technical commentary, but that doesn't waive the need for us to be mindful readers of Scripture, carefully considering the context of passages and asking the important questions about situation and original meaning.
I would not discourage anyone from purchasing a copy of this book and working through it. You will be helped in your Christian, challenged by your sin, reminded that Jesus is worthy of all praise, and moved to heartfelt and thoughtful prayer. However, you won't be helped in knowing how to read the Psalms (or any part of the Bible for that matter) yourself and translating that into prayer
December 26, 2024
This devotional book gives you a small portion of the psalms to read each day, so that you can read the entire books of Psalms in one year. Each psalm includes a prayer that you can pray and a few paragraphs explaining something about the psalm and connecting it to the New Testament.
I really liked reading the Psalms through the perspective of the New Testament, and focusing on how Jesus is the fulfillment of every Old Testament promise. This was such a comfort to read each day. It brought me a lot of encouragement throughout the year!
I really liked reading the Psalms through the perspective of the New Testament, and focusing on how Jesus is the fulfillment of every Old Testament promise. This was such a comfort to read each day. It brought me a lot of encouragement throughout the year!
December 30, 2023
31 Dec 2023 - this is the third time I’ve used this annual devotional (possibly 4th?), and I absolutely love it. I love starting my day with a Psalm, with reflections that help me go deeper on the psalm, and a pre-written prayer to help launch my prayers. I love how it takes a gospel-centred approach that brings me to Jesus and leads me to richer prayer. I’ll be using it again one year in the future, for sure.
2021 - This has been a fantastic way to start every day. High quality. Scripture based. Love having the prayers written out to pray through. Helpful reflections. All somehow both short and profound. Highly recommended. I'll be using it again in the future for sure. And I often refer to it if I'm reading or working on Psalms.
2021 - This has been a fantastic way to start every day. High quality. Scripture based. Love having the prayers written out to pray through. Helpful reflections. All somehow both short and profound. Highly recommended. I'll be using it again in the future for sure. And I often refer to it if I'm reading or working on Psalms.
February 18, 2020
It took me two years to read this one-year devotional, but I loved it, and I'm going to go start it all over again.
I remember hearing Tim Keller say at a conference that he usually starts his day with a Psalm or two to warm up his heart to sing the praises of the Lord. That was my experience with this devotional. It was a great help to me.
I remember hearing Tim Keller say at a conference that he usually starts his day with a Psalm or two to warm up his heart to sing the praises of the Lord. That was my experience with this devotional. It was a great help to me.
January 1, 2023
I very much enjoyed this year long devotional. The concept is profound though simple: pray through all 150 Psalms in one small portion each day of the year. Keller's insights and suggested prayers are helpful guides, though this book is perhaps most useful when you can move from the Scripture passage directly into your own prayers.
Though I am not generally a fan of devotional books, I make an exception for this. Highly recommended! Also, for more on this type of prayer, Donald Whitney's "Praying the Bible" is a must-read.
Though I am not generally a fan of devotional books, I make an exception for this. Highly recommended! Also, for more on this type of prayer, Donald Whitney's "Praying the Bible" is a must-read.
December 31, 2018
Tim and Kathy Keller provide insights and meditations on the Psalms. I enjoy Bible reading plans which include a daily Psalm. This book allowed me to read a bit from the Psalms daily while choosing a year-long Bible plan which did not include one. I enjoyed the insights on some days more than others. The acknowledgements told of life issues that almost resulted in the book's failure to be completed on time. Some manuscripts were rejected. The final one was edited extensively to get it to make it the proper length. One cannot help but wonder what insightful nuggets may have been eliminated in the revision process. While I did not agree theologically on every devotion, particularly on the interpretation of things relating to the nation of Israel, it provided more depth than many devotion books. Fortunately the ones on which I agreed, far outnumbered the others.
August 30, 2016
I am so grateful for this, the best devotional I have read in the last 30 years. The approach of the Kellers is refreshingly practical, very devotional. It illustrates what it means to "preach the Gospel to yourself." Every day is a constant reminder of God's character and Jesus' actions and thoughts toward us. They honor God's word through recalling sound exposition and then, every day, they "bring it home" with an intimate prayer.
January 1, 2017
I do not normally think highly of devotional books. They tend to get tiresome and the degree of sameness grows old quickly.
Those two things did not happen. Both the Kellers and the Psalmist took me on a journey through hard times and victories. I'll never forget the learnings and thankfulness imparted through this small daily devotional.
A+ all day long!
Those two things did not happen. Both the Kellers and the Psalmist took me on a journey through hard times and victories. I'll never forget the learnings and thankfulness imparted through this small daily devotional.
A+ all day long!
December 25, 2023
Loved this. I’ve never really been much of a devo guy, but I really enjoyed having this as a steady, daily, quick option throughout the year. I also love that he wrote it alongside his wife Kathy.
Some of my best moments with the Lord in 2023 involved a time of reflecting after reading this. This has inspired me to pursue reading other devotionals, for sure.
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of godly men like Tim Keller who spend time creating such great content.
Looking forward to reading Tim & Kathy’s Proverbs devo in 2024!
Some of my best moments with the Lord in 2023 involved a time of reflecting after reading this. This has inspired me to pursue reading other devotionals, for sure.
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of godly men like Tim Keller who spend time creating such great content.
Looking forward to reading Tim & Kathy’s Proverbs devo in 2024!
February 18, 2016
Read full review and read sample devotional here.
View on Amazon.
The newest book from Tim and Kathy Keller is The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms. The Songs of Jesus digs into a beloved portion of Scripture to share daily devotions with corresponding prayers. It is Tim and Kathy Keller’s second book together (the first was The Meaning of Marriage).
Each day begins with a portion of the Psalms (sometimes an entire psalm, but never more than a dozen verses), a devotional thought of about 150 words, and a short prayer. These prayers, “should be seen as ‘on‑ramps,’ not as complete prayers. The reader should follow the trajectory of the prayers and keep going, filling each prayer out with personal particulars, as well as always praying in Jesus’s name (John 14:13).”
The Kellers recommend using the devotional three ways:
The simplest way is to read the psalm and the meditation slowly, and then use the prayer to begin praying the psalm yourself.
The second way to use the devotional is to take the time to look up the additional scriptural references that are embedded in the meditation and sometimes in the prayer.
The third way to use the devotional is to journal through it while keeping three questions in mind:
Adore—What did you learn about God for which you could praise or thank him?
Admit—What did you learn about yourself for which you could repent?
Aspire—What did you learn about life that you could aspire to, ask for, and act on?
The Songs of Jesus among other Devotionals (particularly Jesus Calling)
Why choose the book of psalms? The Kellers share their reasoning:
“Many find modern devotionals to be either too upbeat or too sentimental or too doctrinal or too mystical because they reflect the perspective and experience of just one human author. The psalms, by contrast, give us a range of divinely inspired voices of different temperaments and experiences.”
In addition to a love for the Psalter (which is like a swiss-army knife for our prayer lives), I have a hunch that at least part of the motivation behind this book was to provide a healthy alternative to the controversial, yet immensely popular devotional Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.
In Kathy Keller’s review of Jesus Calling, she called it “unhelpful and to be avoided” because Young writes from the first-person perspective of Jesus and admits to doubting Scripture’s sufficiency (in the introduction she states: “I knew that God communicated with me through the Bible, but I yearned for more. I wanted to hear what God had to say to me personally on a given day.”).
Another critique was that Jesus Calling appeals too much to the experiential at the expense of the doctrinal—which is where the book of Psalms fits in perfectly as a book that so beautifully interweaves both rich doctrine with a wide range of human emotions. Keller’s review continues, “If you want to experience Jesus, learn how to find him in his Word. His real Word.”
The Songs of Jesus will lead readers to Jesus through His Word and through praying His Word back to Him.
My recommendation
My first thought as I flipped through The Songs of Jesus was, “This wasn’t what I expected.” Being a big fan of Tim’s writing, I found myself craving more Scriptural and cultural insights than the 150ish word devotional and 50ish word prayer can offer. This disappointment dissipated when I remembered the purpose of the book: to help readers meditate on the Psalms and pray them to know and experience Jesus. In other words, I was focused on the on-ramp instead of the highway.
The Songs of Jesus are a rich collection of devotions that are clear and straight to the point, getting to the heart of each Psalm and helping readers think through them practically and prayerfully. Diligent readers and those who journal through it will feast on the richness of the Psalter and rejoice as they behold and commune with the Savior who so faithfully embodied the psalms.
Don Whitney says in Praying the Bible that many Christians are bored in prayer because they pray the same old things about the same old things. If taken to heart and diligently prayed, The Songs of Jesus will fight against this boredom and fill our minds and hearts with fresh thoughts and prayers to our Lord.
I expect this volume to expand Keller’s already wide readership base by offering an accessible and top-notch alternative to Jesus Calling. While I typically don’t like the daily devotional format, I will keep The Songs of Jesus close at hand for my wife and I to sing and pray the songs of Jesus together.
Title: The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms
Author: Timothy and Kathy Keller
Publisher: Viking
Year: 2015
Rating: 5 Stars
View on Amazon.
The newest book from Tim and Kathy Keller is The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms. The Songs of Jesus digs into a beloved portion of Scripture to share daily devotions with corresponding prayers. It is Tim and Kathy Keller’s second book together (the first was The Meaning of Marriage).
Each day begins with a portion of the Psalms (sometimes an entire psalm, but never more than a dozen verses), a devotional thought of about 150 words, and a short prayer. These prayers, “should be seen as ‘on‑ramps,’ not as complete prayers. The reader should follow the trajectory of the prayers and keep going, filling each prayer out with personal particulars, as well as always praying in Jesus’s name (John 14:13).”
The Kellers recommend using the devotional three ways:
The simplest way is to read the psalm and the meditation slowly, and then use the prayer to begin praying the psalm yourself.
The second way to use the devotional is to take the time to look up the additional scriptural references that are embedded in the meditation and sometimes in the prayer.
The third way to use the devotional is to journal through it while keeping three questions in mind:
Adore—What did you learn about God for which you could praise or thank him?
Admit—What did you learn about yourself for which you could repent?
Aspire—What did you learn about life that you could aspire to, ask for, and act on?
The Songs of Jesus among other Devotionals (particularly Jesus Calling)
Why choose the book of psalms? The Kellers share their reasoning:
“Many find modern devotionals to be either too upbeat or too sentimental or too doctrinal or too mystical because they reflect the perspective and experience of just one human author. The psalms, by contrast, give us a range of divinely inspired voices of different temperaments and experiences.”
In addition to a love for the Psalter (which is like a swiss-army knife for our prayer lives), I have a hunch that at least part of the motivation behind this book was to provide a healthy alternative to the controversial, yet immensely popular devotional Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.
In Kathy Keller’s review of Jesus Calling, she called it “unhelpful and to be avoided” because Young writes from the first-person perspective of Jesus and admits to doubting Scripture’s sufficiency (in the introduction she states: “I knew that God communicated with me through the Bible, but I yearned for more. I wanted to hear what God had to say to me personally on a given day.”).
Another critique was that Jesus Calling appeals too much to the experiential at the expense of the doctrinal—which is where the book of Psalms fits in perfectly as a book that so beautifully interweaves both rich doctrine with a wide range of human emotions. Keller’s review continues, “If you want to experience Jesus, learn how to find him in his Word. His real Word.”
The Songs of Jesus will lead readers to Jesus through His Word and through praying His Word back to Him.
My recommendation
My first thought as I flipped through The Songs of Jesus was, “This wasn’t what I expected.” Being a big fan of Tim’s writing, I found myself craving more Scriptural and cultural insights than the 150ish word devotional and 50ish word prayer can offer. This disappointment dissipated when I remembered the purpose of the book: to help readers meditate on the Psalms and pray them to know and experience Jesus. In other words, I was focused on the on-ramp instead of the highway.
The Songs of Jesus are a rich collection of devotions that are clear and straight to the point, getting to the heart of each Psalm and helping readers think through them practically and prayerfully. Diligent readers and those who journal through it will feast on the richness of the Psalter and rejoice as they behold and commune with the Savior who so faithfully embodied the psalms.
Don Whitney says in Praying the Bible that many Christians are bored in prayer because they pray the same old things about the same old things. If taken to heart and diligently prayed, The Songs of Jesus will fight against this boredom and fill our minds and hearts with fresh thoughts and prayers to our Lord.
I expect this volume to expand Keller’s already wide readership base by offering an accessible and top-notch alternative to Jesus Calling. While I typically don’t like the daily devotional format, I will keep The Songs of Jesus close at hand for my wife and I to sing and pray the songs of Jesus together.
Title: The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms
Author: Timothy and Kathy Keller
Publisher: Viking
Year: 2015
Rating: 5 Stars
December 31, 2016
I've spent 2016 in the Psalms and this is one of the sources I used to embellish my understanding of these fabulous "songs of Jesus." I'm a huge fan of Tim Keller's biblical teaching that I knew he and Kathy would provide wonderful insights.
The Kellers covered many of the Psalms across multiple days. Typically, they would provide 5-10 verses of the Psalm, a short 150 word devotional and relevant closing prayer. There was a gem of wisdom on most days that helped shine some insight into God's character.
They share in the Introduction the following:
"We are not simply to read psalms; we are to be immersed in them so that they profoundly shape how we relate to God. The psalms are the divinely ordained way to learn devotion to our God."
And this devotional does indeed help the reader to immerse themselves in the Psalms. Rarely did I simply walk away upon meditating on the day's reading rather it would lead me to greater praise, reflection and desire for the Lord.
If you are planning to immerse yourselves in the Psalms may I encourage you to grab a copy of "The Songs of Jesus."
The Kellers covered many of the Psalms across multiple days. Typically, they would provide 5-10 verses of the Psalm, a short 150 word devotional and relevant closing prayer. There was a gem of wisdom on most days that helped shine some insight into God's character.
They share in the Introduction the following:
"We are not simply to read psalms; we are to be immersed in them so that they profoundly shape how we relate to God. The psalms are the divinely ordained way to learn devotion to our God."
And this devotional does indeed help the reader to immerse themselves in the Psalms. Rarely did I simply walk away upon meditating on the day's reading rather it would lead me to greater praise, reflection and desire for the Lord.
If you are planning to immerse yourselves in the Psalms may I encourage you to grab a copy of "The Songs of Jesus."
November 29, 2017
I’ve read the Psalms many times throughout my Christian life, but this book helped me to gain new insights daily. The devotionals are a very appropriate and digestible length, and the guided prayers at the end of each are helpful. Keller pulls references from many other places, not for the purpose of adding to the word of God, but to enhance understanding of it. The entire work is well-done and brought about growth in me over the past year as I read it.
October 6, 2016
Wonderful devotional I read in 2016. Read more than one page several days! For someone wanting a guide to the Psalms, a great resource that breaks them down into bite-sized bits. Gives some great insights. Includes verses from hymns and poems. As you would expect from Keller, a tremendous and encouraging book!
December 31, 2016
Alright as a devotional book. A little disappointed that it wasn't rooted deeper in the text of the Psalms. Much more riches to have been brought out. Some real gems though that really spoke to me.
If you are looking for a deeper understanding of the psalms look elsewhere. If you are looking for something for a lighter devotional read, or something for family devotions this would be ok.
If you are looking for a deeper understanding of the psalms look elsewhere. If you are looking for something for a lighter devotional read, or something for family devotions this would be ok.
February 1, 2016
Tim and Kathy Keller have a gift for taking great truths and placing them in pithy statements. This book is an excellent meditation, not necessarily for deeper understanding of the psalms, but for greater intimacy with God.
April 6, 2017
Really, really, really good. Fantastic, gospel centered guide through the psalms.
December 31, 2024
From December 31, Psalm 150: “The psalms are, in the end, a miniature of life. Every possible experience, if prayed to the God who is really there, is destined to end in praise.”
Thankful for this book and for the continuing ministry of Tim and Kathy Keller. My husband and I read it together this year, and I’m sure we’ll visit it again soon.
Thankful for this book and for the continuing ministry of Tim and Kathy Keller. My husband and I read it together this year, and I’m sure we’ll visit it again soon.
December 30, 2023
Excellent devotional!
October 31, 2024
Finished early to get ready for Advent!
I liked this a lot, I will say it was at least twice a week that Keller would talk about verses that weren’t in the reading and that kind of annoyed me, but overall he had a lot of great thoughts on the Psalms and was definitely taking lots of notes in my Bible!
I liked this a lot, I will say it was at least twice a week that Keller would talk about verses that weren’t in the reading and that kind of annoyed me, but overall he had a lot of great thoughts on the Psalms and was definitely taking lots of notes in my Bible!
January 1, 2017
I used this devotional over the course of the last year. Overall it was pretty good. Keller did a good job of giving a theme to each day and making a lot of good insights that made an impression on me about half of the time that I read them, which is really good for a yearly devotional sort of thing. I didn't like the way Keller dealt with the imprecatory psalms since while he didn't fully take the Lewis route of saying these psalms aren't Christian, he got pretty close to Lewis anyways and was constantly trying to show with these psalms why they're no longer relevant, which I firmly disagree with. For the non-imprecatory psalms, however, I found this a helpful devotional to use.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
December 23, 2021
This is a decent book that helps you navigate the Psalms all the while providing insight and meaning. Like his other book on the Proverbs, this devotional provides good information on the Psalm of the day and definitely food for thought. I’m not a fan of the NIV, the version chosen for the Scripture quotations, but you can’t have everything in life. The layout at times breaks down a Psalm across multiple days. It’s impossible to cover one Psalm in a whole day, just think of Psalm 119. The daily breakdown is a brief 140-165 word devotional and a relevant closing prayer. I think this book is less focused on social justice and pseudo socialism as is the one on Proverbs and that is a very good thing. There was a gem of wisdom on most days and it helped shine some insight into God's character.
December 22, 2016
This has been a great companion to me this year. It isn't super meaty and I wouldn't rely on it as a sole means of daily Bible study - but I did find it helpful during my crazy months where I had minimal time to dig into the Word everyday. I'm grateful for how it helped me stay rooted in truth daily and see the shadows of Christ in prayers spoken ages before his coming. The Psalms have been a remarkable instructor to me on the rawness of emotion before God, the really low depths of human pain and agony, and the really high peaks of God's beauty and glory. So much hope in the Psalms... so many needed reminders of who God is and how we stand in relation to him.
December 31, 2016
Good but brief daily readings
This is better than some devotionals, but I wish Keller would take more time each day digging into the day's reading. This is better than a superficial daily devotional, but it is still shorter and less meaty than I'd like.
This is better than some devotionals, but I wish Keller would take more time each day digging into the day's reading. This is better than a superficial daily devotional, but it is still shorter and less meaty than I'd like.
January 1, 2018
I really enjoyed Tim Keller's book on the Psalms this year. In the beginning I followed his suggestion to journal with the Adore, Admit and Aspire reflections before I read what he had written on the Psalm or portion of a particular Psalm for the day. When I did that method I really benefited.
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