Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible offers profound insights into the significance of the Psalms, especially in a world increasingly distant from faith. As a Lutheran minister and scholar, Bonhoeffer views the Psalms through a Christ-centered lens, seeing Christ present throughout the Old Testament. For him, the Psalms are not just ancient prayers but the words of Christ Himself.
Bonhoeffer emphasizes that when approaching the Psalms, the first question should not be about their relevance to us but rather, “what they have to do with Jesus Christ” (20-21). This perspective aligns with his belief that the Old Testament, including the Psalms, bears witness to Christ.
He points out that the Psalms deeply permeated the life of early Christianity and that Christ Himself used the Psalms in His final moments, dying “with the words of the Psalter on his lips” (26). This highlights the Psalms’ significance not just as poetry or liturgy but as a direct connection to Christ’s own prayer life.
Bonhoeffer considers the Psalms unique because they provide the only scriptural dialogue where the primary conversation is directed toward God. This means that through the Psalms, God gives us the language to communicate with Him. “Prayer does not mean simply to pour out one’s heart. It means rather to find the way to God and to speak with him, whether the heart is full or empty” (9-10, 11). For Bonhoeffer, this dialogue is only possible through Jesus Christ, who ensures that our prayers are heard.
He further stresses that “the richness of the Word of God ought to determine our prayer, not the poverty of our heart” (15). This indicates that our prayers should be shaped by the depth and richness of Scripture rather than our own limited feelings or experiences.
In praying the Psalms, Bonhoeffer believes that Christ teaches us how to pray both individually and communally. Through the Psalms, the Word of God, all human experience is transformed into divine dialogue. When we pray the Psalms, we join our voices with Christ’s and the entire Church. “The body of Christ is praying, and as an individual one acknowledges that his prayer is only a minute fragment of the whole prayer of the Church” (49). This communal aspect lifts our prayers beyond personal concerns, aligning them with the broader prayer of the Church.
In summary, Bonhoeffer’s Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible presents the Psalms as a foundational guide to prayer, deeply rooted in Christ, and essential for both individual and communal spiritual life. Through the Psalms, believers are invited to participate in the prayer of Christ and the Church, finding their way to God through His Word.
Prodigal Catholic 
Would love to get your review of his book “The Cost of Discipleship”
One day God willing!