Singing with Emmanuel
How to Meet Jesus in the Psalms
- Biblical Studies & Commentaries
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Published: 2026
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Publisher's Description
Though we read the Psalms more than any other writings in the Bible, it isn’t always easy to find resonance in them. This is so because they aren’t just songs for today. They are the ancient songs of those who are long-gone and who lived in a world that is often very different from today’s. More importantly, they are the songs of Jesus, whose trust, suffering, and jubilation far exceed those of any reader. In Singing with Emmanuel, Pastor Drew shows how to meet Jesus throughout the psalms, even in those places where it is hard to hear his voice. The journey Drew takes readers on will deepen their wonder and faith as they encounter more vividly the God who chose to enter the human story so fully. That journey brings fresh relevance and life to the Psalms, allowing readers to make them more fully their own.
Endorsements (17)
“Charlie Drew’s deep knowledge and love of the Psalms are on full display in this invaluable volume. In addition to his learning, there is deep passion and love, not only for the Psalms, but for the Savior who sang them. I found myself weeping numerous times as I read—tears of joy, and love for Jesus. I hope you have the same experience.”
“When Charlie Drew expounds the Scripture, he is always wonderfully Christ-centered—and not in a superficial or repetitious way. He knows the many and varied theological themes running through all the Bible, and he knows how to follow them carefully until they all meet in Jesus Christ. His book on the Psalms is no exception. I recommend it.”
“This book about the Psalms will help them sing even more deeply in your heart. It shows you how Psalms give voice to Jesus’ own experience. The image of Jesus Christ actually lives, thinks, feels, and speaks. And it is this very image that he wishes to form in us.”
“In the quietness of your most private place, take a few moments to let Charlie Drew walk you through verses that you’ve recited in church or breezed through in haste and distraction. You will discover not only the God you barely know, but how deeply he already knows you.”
“Through this imaginative and distinctly Christian approach to the Psalms, you will hear Jesus speaking in an intensely personal way about his own life, death, and resurrection. You will come to know Jesus and the gospel more intimately and more deeply. A profoundly edifying experience!”
“For two thousand years the Psalms have been adopted by the Christian Church as our own hymn book. But now Charlie Drew invites us to encounter them in a completely fresh way—by hearing the voice of Jesus speaking to us through them. Charlie leads us to discover new dimensions of understanding and new depths of worship in a book we thought we knew so well.”
“Charlie Drew writes with the passion of a dynamic preacher, the insights of a biblical scholar, the language of a fine poet, and the honesty of a close friend. As we are challenged to see the Psalms through the eyes of Jesus, we understand both their purpose and his grace in new ways.”
“When I read the Psalms as the prayers, joys, fears, despairs, and delights of Jesus, I’m reminded that Jesus really has walked in my shoes. Singing with Emmanuel has shown me Jesus not only as my king who has saved me, but also as my loving brother who has experienced every aspect of humanity in order to empathize with me completely.”
“Charlie Drew’s understanding of the Psalms opens a window to see the authentic Jesus. The writing is precise and personal, the interpretations are compelling, and the overall effect is a powerful volume in which the Psalms come alive in new ways.”
“I will never read the Psalms the same way again. Forever more, I will have the posture of praying the Psalms alongside my older brother Jesus who alone lived them and prayed them perfectly and beautifully.”
“Heart-felt spirituality and thoughtful biblical reading . . . intellectually provocative and winsome . . . the loving work of a pastor who leads the reader through practical helps, prayers, and guidelines to experience the Psalms in ever enriching ways. I recommend it wholeheartedly.”
“I’ve long appreciated Charlie Drew’s gift for helping readers make the connection between the Bible and the Christian life without reducing it to slogans or formulas. Singing with Emmanuel brings to bear the richness of biblical theology and the heart of a pastor. Earlier generations spoke of the need for an ‘experimental knowledge of Christ’ that is both born of the richness of our communion with God and led by a full understanding of his Word. This book stands in that tradition. Highly recommended.”
“What a tremendous contribution Charlie Drew has made to our experience of the book of Psalms. Thank you for linking Jesus to the Psalms as you have.”
“The world-changing story of Jesus has become the story of his people as a whole—past, present, and future. This has deep implications for the Psalms. Charlie Drew guides us pastorally into the practice of reading the Psalter in the mysterious reality of this union. Highly recommended.”
“Charlie Drew does not avoid the troublesome passages that I am tempted to skip over—David’s outrageous claims of innocence or his vindictive curses of vengeance on his enemies. Listening for Jesus’ voice and story in them—and in all the Psalms—has helped me understand and embrace them. It has also deepened my experience of Jesus’ costly love for humanity and his astonishing willingness to identify with his fallen, fragile followers, whom he calls brothers and sisters.”
“Pastor Drew does not want us to read the Psalms and just be encouraged. We are settling for too little! He wants the Psalms to help us understand Jesus’ own heart more deeply as we pray these Psalms as his prayers.”
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