Hear My Voice

Of the four lectionary texts for each Sunday, the Psalms are the least frequently used as a basis for sermons -- yet the Psalms are incredibly rich in the very life substance that makes preaching relevant. From personal suffering to the absence of God, from national failure to the burden of personal sin, the Psalms are filled with the pathos of the human struggle for and with God. If you want to tap into this abundant source of sermonic material, Hear My Voice is an invaluable tool that you won't want to be without. It's a comprehensive collection of informative homiletical commentaries on the Psalm texts drawn from the pages of the acclaimed preaching journal Emphasis. Covering the complete three-year cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary, these brief explorations provide numerous starting points for developing solidly scriptural sermons that also speak to contemporary life. Convenient features include cross-referencing of multiple occurrences of the same text so that you can consider alternative approaches, plus a helpful index. While targeted primarily to preachers and homiletics students, Hear My Voice is an inspiring volume with accessible commentary for anyone who wants a better appreciation of the Psalms and how they speak to us today.

James Evans is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Auburn, Alabama, and has served Baptist churches in various capacities for over 25 years. In addition to his pastoral work, he writes a weekly religion column for the Birmingham Post-Herald and is a frequent contributor to several other publications. Evans earned his M. Div. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and his D. Min. from Beeson Divinity School.

Stan Purdum is the pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church in Waynesburg, Ohio. He has served as the editor for the preaching journals Emphasis and Homiletics, and he has written extensively for both the religious and secular press. Purdum is the author of New Mercies I See (CSS) and He Walked in Galilee (Abingdon Press), as well as two accounts of long-distance bicycle journeys, Roll Around Heaven All Day and Playing in Traffic.

Carlos Wilton has been the pastor since 1990 of Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church, in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. In addition to his parish responsibilities, Wilton is also an adjunct professor at New Brunswick Theological Seminary and a member of the writing team for the online preaching resource The Immediate Word (www.csspub.com). He is also the author of two volumes of the CSS series Lectionary Preaching Workbook. Wilton previously served as assistant dean and director of admissions at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.