After decades of studying and teaching the Psalms, Dr. Daniel J. Estes, Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Cedarville University, has completed a project that began with a single-volume assignment and ultimately became a two-volume contribution to the New American Commentary series.
Published by B&H Publishing Group and available through Lifeway, Estes’Psalms 1–72: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture completes his commentary on the entire book of Psalms. The 640-page volume was released Aug. 1, 2026, and joins Estes’ earlier commentary, Psalms 73–150, published in 2019.
The New American Commentary is designed to combine evangelical scholarship with practical application for preaching and teaching. The series describes itself as a resource for both ministers and Bible students, bridging biblical scholarship and a commitment to strengthening the life of the church.
For Estes, the project grew naturally from his longstanding love for the Psalms.
“I’ve always loved the Psalms,” Estes said. “They speak life. They meet us in the middle of real life, when we’re rejoicing, when we’re hurting, when we’re questioning and when we’re worshiping. That’s why the Psalms continue to come alive in ministry. They connect with God’s people.”
After teaching the Psalms for many years, Estes was approached by publishers about writing a commentary. What initially was expected to be a single volume became a much larger undertaking. Estes said the first volume took roughly six years, including approximately 1,000 hours of research and writing each year. He was later asked to complete a second volume, allowing him to address the entire Psalter.
The opportunity to teach the material before publishing it was particularly valuable.
“I want it to be for all the people of God,” Estes said, explaining his desire for the work to reach a broad audience rather than remain solely an academic resource.
That goal is reflected in the purpose of the New American Commentary. Lifeway describes the series as combining contemporary evangelical scholarship with resources that support the practical work of preaching and teaching.
Bridging scholarship and application together
While Psalms 1–72 is an academic reference work, Estes approaches the Psalms with the perspective of a pastor as well as a scholar.
“The Psalms are so pastoral,” he said, pointing to their nature as both poetry and songs. “Appropriate the Psalm. Doing what God says to do draws us in, so it becomes a guide, a prompt to go to the Lord.”
That emphasis is important because the Psalms speak to a wide range of human experiences. They give voice to praise, worship, trust, suffering and hope while continually directing readers toward God.
Lifeway describes the Psalms as a place where Christians find comfort, encouragement and hope, as well as language for their own prayers. The publisher also notes the challenge of understanding Hebrew poetry for modern readers.
Estes said he approached his writing with three questions in mind: What do I need to explain? What do I need to prove? And what do I need to apply?
That framework helped him address the complexities of biblical poetry while keeping the material connected to contemporary readers.
He pays particular attention to figures of speech, the differences between the biblical world and the modern context, and ways to help readers understand how an ancient text speaks today.
Rather than simply providing information, Estes wants the commentary to draw readers into the text and encourage them to consider the Psalms from a personal perspective.
A lifelong appreciation for the Psalms
Writing the commentary also gave Estes an opportunity to revisit passages he had taught for many years.
Although his familiarity with the Psalms spans decades, the experience did not diminish their significance.
“They were just as good as I remember,” Estes said.
For Estes, the beauty of the Psalms has remained consistent, and his appreciation for their message has continued to grow. The Psalms' enduring ability to point readers toward God is part of what makes them valuable across generations.
The first half of his commentary examines Psalms 1–72, while the earlier volume covers Psalms 73–150. Together, the two volumes provide Estes’ exposition of the entire Psalter. Lifeway currently lists both volumes in its New American Commentary collection.
Pointing readers back to the Lord
Ultimately, Estes hopes the commentary will do more than increase readers' knowledge of individual Psalms.
“I want them to direct people's attention to the Lord and encourage them to turn to Him in all experiences, good and bad.” he said.
That includes the joyful moments when believers praise and rejoice as well as the difficult seasons when trusting God can be challenging. The Psalms, Estes noted, repeatedly call people to trust the Lord even in hard times.
Lifeway similarly describes Estes’ exposition as a resource intended not only to inform understanding but also to cultivate greater passion for God. For readers who may be intimidated by a 640-page theological commentary, Estes offers a simple perspective: it is not intended to be read like a novel.
Instead, it is a reference tool, a resource readers can open when they want greater clarity, appreciation and understanding of a particular Psalm. The result is a work shaped by decades of scholarship, teaching and ministry, but written with a broad audience in mind. For Estes, the ultimate purpose remains straightforward: to help people understand the Psalms so they can better hear their invitation to turn toward the Lord.
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online cedarville.edu/online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,542 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2027 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.