Christopher Ash explains that this commentary on the Psalms is not a technical or scholarly commentary. But it is, “the Psalms read with the breadth of a whole-bible perspective allied with the depth of a clear focus on Christ, the center of history and the fulcrum of the Bible story.”

This commentary, in particular, is Volume 3, which covers Psalms 51-100.

This volume is part of the commentary set on the Psalms and is four volumes by Christopher Ash. The first volume is an introduction to Christ in the Psalms. The second volume is Psalms 1-50. The third volume is Psalms 51-100. And the fourth volume is Psalms 101-150. This series intrigued me from the start. I was interested in how an author would write a commentary on the Psalms with a clear focus on Jesus. I have a lot of commentaries, and a number of them cover the Psalms. But none of my commentaries has a clearly stated purpose to be intensely Christ-Centered in its approach.

For example, Ash says, “I have become persuaded that Jesus Christ is the subject and object of the Psalms, that his majestic divine-human person is woven into the warp and woof of the Psalter, and that he is the preeminent singer of psalms, the focus of the Psalter, and the one whom the Psalms cannot be understood aright.”

“While reading Psalms, it is common for commentaries to focus on Old Testament meaning, without connecting it deeply to Christ’s fulfillment in the New Testament. By studying Scripture this way, believers miss out on the fullness of God’s word. The key to experiencing authentically Christian worship is learning a Christ-focused approach to praying and singing the Psalms.”

“In this thorough commentary, Christopher Ash provides a careful treatment of Psalms 51–100, examining each psalm’s significance to David and the other psalmists, to Jesus during his earthly ministry, and to the church of Christ in every age. Ash includes introductory quotations, a deep analysis of the text’s structure and vocabulary, and a closing reflection and response, along with selected quotations from older readings of the Psalms. Perfect for pastors, Bible teachers, and students, this commentary helps readers sing and pray the Psalms with Christ in view.”

I appreciate Ash’s keen insights into how each Psalm is about Jesus and how Jesus would be the ultimate singer of each Psalm. I learn from Ash in this respect every time I open this book. The cross-references are extremely helpful, and the whole-bible themes are very enlightening. I also like the layout of bold words of the text with comments surrounding them. It is also an easy commentary to follow; the structure of each Psalm is very clear.