This volume, encompassing Psalm 1-41 ("book one" of the book of Psalms), is the first of three projected volumes. Volume two will incorporate books two and three of Psalms (42-89), and volume three will incorporate books four and five of the Psalter (90-150). This series is intended for use by church leaders, ministers, informed lay persons, and bible teachers to obtain basic understanding of some of the concerns and issues found in a particular psalm, and then to use the psalm for present-day worship in song.

For each psalm there is a translation, treatment of its structure and theology, and then two to four musical settings: a "traditional" hymn setting and a "contemporary" setting, and sometimes also a verbatim chant. This variety demonstrates several ways of bringing the Psalms into Christian worship. With two or three exceptions, all of these metrical psalms are new compositions for Timeless. Most of the music in Timeless is intended for the average congregation to sing.

Timeless is an ecumenical and international project. While having its origin in the a cappella tradition of Churches of Christ, the book is based on the conviction that all Christian communions share the original hymnbook of the second temple and the church. The editor, therefore, has solicited commentaries, compositions, and lyrics from Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, and others.

R. Mark Shipp is the Pat E Harrell Professor of Old Testament at Austin Graduate School of Theology, Austin, Texas. Mark has a BA and MS from Pepperdine University and an MDiv and PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He was trained in hymnology at Princeton Seminary and is the co-composer of the oratorio Hinds' Feet on High Places. He has authored Of Dead Kings and Dirges (SLB Press), "1 and 2 Chronicles" in The Transforming Word One-Volume Bible Commentary (ACU Press), and co-authored An Akkadian Handbook (Eisenbrauns), with Douglas Miller, and published numerous articles. He is married and has two daughters.

"This publication of fresh work in the Psalms is an enormous gift to the church. The daring offer of fresh words in translation and fresh music invite the church to sing its faith in generative ways. As these editors and composers know, new worlds await us on the other side of our singing. These new renderings are fully attentive to cadence, image, and genre, and yield a contemporaneity that will be much utilized and widely treasured."

- Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary, author of Israel's Praise and The Message of the Psalms

"The Psalms are an inexhaustible resource for deepening corporate worship. They serve congregations most effectively when they are both prayerfully studied and corporately sung. This innovative collection encourages both activities, in ways that will invite and challenge small groups, choirs, and congregations to strengthen their capacity for honest and redemptive prayer."

- John D. Witvliet, Director, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Professor of Worship, Theology and Music, Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary

Hardcover

ISBN: 9780891123514

Pages: 368

Dimensions (inches): 9 x 6

Weight (pounds): 1.35

Spiral-Bound

ISBN: 9780891122982

Pages: 368

Dimensions (inches): 9 x 6

Weight (pounds): 1.15