Much of the second book of the Psalter is about humanity at its most wretched and vindictive. Mark Elliott, however, reverses this perspective. This is a rich and resourceful commentary, emphasising the theological concerns within these thirty psalms, enlightened by the wisdom of Christian writers through the centuries. Elliott helps us to see how Israels God is also our God, and how these difficult ancient prayers are nevertheless profoundly relevant today. -- Susan Gillingham, University of Oxford, UK