The Social Audience of Prayer

“Suderman’s monograph is a significant contribution to psalm studies. Expanding on his earlier work, he offers a compelling, book-length argument for considering not just the speaker in a psalm but also the audience being addressed. His analysis of jussive verbs is especially insightful, showing how they engage a broader social context indirectly. Rich in exegetical depth, this study is thought-provoking and well worth your attention.”—Andrew C. Witt, author of A Voice Without End: The Role of David in Psalms 3–14

“Suderman takes us beyond form and rhetorical criticism of the Psalms to explore the interpretive function of attention to social audience. This is a compelling account of largely neglected changes of voice and address. Many Psalms are shown to address both God and others, and not all others are ‘enemies.’ The hermeneutical focus on ‘overhearing’ is particularly valuable. Well written and strongly engaged with the best recent Psalms scholarship, this is an excellent study.”—Richard S. Briggs, author of The Lord is My Shepherd: Psalm 23 for the Life of the Church