August is often a fairly quiet month for new book releases, sitting as it does between the busy spring and fall seasons. However, there were lots of excellent books published this month, and I’m glad to share some of them with you. In each case, I’ve shared the editorial description so you can learn a bit about it.
Happiness: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Make It Last Forever by Andrew Wilson. “Happiness is a constant pursuit. Our bookshelves can testify. They overflow with self-help resources from a variety of perspectives, each insisting it holds the secret to this deeply human desire. Secular options offer psychological insights but fail to recognize that true satisfaction is only found in Christ, while Christian resources may offer pastoral theology but can lack practical, science-backed guidance for the everyday believer. Andrew Wilson uniquely weaves biblical, theological, philosophical, psychological, and sociological methods to answer 6 major questions about human flourishing in our broken world. Drawing on the greatest thinkers across Scripture and science, readers get a guide that is theologically clear, intellectually robust, and practically helpful. It dismantles myths common in our culture and our churches and explores the deepest desires of both our hearts and our happy God—for us to find joy in him!” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing: A Liturgy for Daily Worship with the Psalms by Jonathan Gibson. “With beautiful prose that draws readers into worship, the Psalms serve as the Bible’s very own liturgy. But many lifelong believers encounter seasons when devotion grows dull, and Scripture reading becomes a matter of dutiful habit rather than heartfelt praise. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing offers a 31-day liturgical guide rooted in the Psalms, providing content, structure, and rhythms that center hearts on honoring our God. Designed to be read in 15–20 minutes per day, each reading includes a Call to Worship drawn from the psalter, an Old Testament reading, historical prayers, creeds, and catechisms that point readers to Christ.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
John: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (EEC) by Andreas J. Köstenberger. “In this commentary, Andreas J. Köstenberger culminates a lifetime of scholarship in Johannine literature. The Gospel of John states its purpose: to demonstrate Jesus’s true identity as the Christ and the Son of God. Köstenberger interprets the Gospel from this perspective, focusing on its text and meaning over secondary concerns. John presents Jesus in relation to Israel’s story and key figures. Köstenberger highlights John’s Old Testament sources, redemptive-historical framework, and biblical-theological connections. This detailed commentary will guide all students of Scripture to see Jesus as John’s Gospel intends. The Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series provides premier biblical commentary rooted in rigorous study of the original languages. Each volume integrates historical and literary insights and explores exegetical, pastoral, and theological concerns, giving readers a full understanding of the text and how to apply it to everyday life.” (Buy it from Amazon.)
Pray with Your Eyes Open: A Guide to Practicing Attentive Prayer (Second Edition) by Richard L. Pratt Jr. “Richard Pratt knows the burdens many of us carry because of inadequate prayer lives. He offers clear biblical direction on how to pray more effectively. Pratt tackles head-on the issues that can puzzle us the most. With care and balance he discusses key issues: from fascination with God to honest confession of our deepest needs, from concerns over form and freedom in prayer to questions about body language and fasting. Discussion questions, practical exercises, and assignments with each chapter help to make this book ideal for adult study groups, as well as individual use.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
Making Sense of Creation and Fall: How Themes in Genesis 1–3 Help Us Understand the Bible, God, and Ourselves by Vern S. Poythress. “Making Sense of Creation and Fall explores the theological meanings of God’s acts in Genesis 1–3 and demonstrates how they relate to redemption and to the new heaven and earth. Professor Vern Poythress shows how themes such as creation from nothing, light, darkness, water, separation, dry land, life, multiplication of living things, image of God, dominion, temptation, and fall refer to real events in Genesis 1–3 and at the same time have rich connections with the subsequent redemptive work of God that reaches its climax in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. This book promotes a rich appreciation of the created world and leads us to praise God the Father, who creates and redeems through his Son by means of the Spirit.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
Psalms of Trust: Living with Confidence in God at All Times by H.B. Charles Jr. “Every heart sings the blues—but some more so than others. God is near to the brokenhearted. The crushed in spirit. And those who are afraid. He sees the despairing. The grieved. The bruised reeds. He hears the songs of the poor. For millennia the Psalms have served as a source of comfort and hope for troubled souls. In Psalms of Trust, beloved preacher H.B. Charles masterfully unpacks ten psalms, directing us toward the God who understands our pain and comes to our rescue. The Psalms encourage us to live with stubborn trust in God during every season of life. After encountering these meditations, we come away with a renewed sense of God’s presence and a deep hope in His salvation. Bring your complaints. Bring your sorrows. Sing the blues alongside the blues-singing psalmists. And discover with them the God who knows, hears, and is worthy of your hurting heart.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
Grace Will Be There: Finding God in the Life We Aren’t Ready For by Katie M. Kelley. “We rarely believe we can do something scary until we’re simply waking up each morning and doing it. Katie M. Kelley is living a life she never expected. Single parenting. Six kids. Foster care. Adoption. A son with a significant disability. She’s faced pain, unmet expectations, and heartache. If she’d known life was going to have so much sorrow and hardship, she would have raised the white flag long ago. But instead, she’s found that God, in His wisdom, gives us moment-by-moment grace—when we need it. Grace Will Be There is a beautifully penned collection of essays pointing the reader to the thread of God’s provision in every season of life, especially in seasons we did not or cannot prepare for. Katie shares real-life stories that will both pull at your heart and make you laugh. Showcasing the beautiful truth that God gives us grace for each new circumstance day by day, season by season, challenge by challenge, this book encourages us to relinquish control and trust Him.” (Buy it from Amazon.)
Homemaking Matters: Living for God’s Glory in the Ordinary by Marci Ferrell. “When the daily work of caring for your home feels unseen, exhausting, or ordinary, this warm guide helps Christian women see their service as sacred work. In Homemaking Matters, Marci Ferrell shows how the gospel changes everything, especially what we do in our homes. Blending biblical insight, lived wisdom, and practical takeaways, she helps you see each day not as a checklist of chores, but as a divine vocation with eternal significance. From keeping up with family laundry to welcoming a friend over for dinner, every opportunity to serve others is an opportunity to serve God. With chapters on ordinary tasks, the ministry of home, mentorship, joy, and more, this book reframes homemaking as purposeful, valuable service that women in every season of life—young or old, married or single, with kids or without—can do for God’s glory.” (Buy it from Amazon.)
The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God’s Truth and Revives Weary Souls by Brett McCracken. “Eye-opening revelations from Scripture and science about why we sleep, dream, and rest—and why they are such gifts. In our age of hurry, productivity, and constant distraction, sleep is often treated as an inconvenient pause or means of self-optimization. We’ve forgotten the deeper, theological meaning of rest and the profound spiritual lessons we can learn from our God-given need for sleep. Drawing from Scripture, science, cultural commentary, and personal reflections, Brett McCracken shows how sleep, rest, and Sabbath are not just necessary downtimes or missed opportunities to be productive—they are sacred practices that deepen our relationship with God, nurture our love for others, and bear witness to his grace.” (Buy it from Amazon.)
The Four Senses of Scripture: Learning from Ancient Ways of Reading the Bible by Patrick Schreiner. “For nearly 1,700 years, the church read Scripture through four interwoven lenses—literal, allegorical, tropological, and anagogical—known as the quadriga. Modern biblical hermeneutics has largely set this tradition aside. In The Four Senses of Scripture, Patrick Schreiner argues the church hasn’t moved beyond the ancient approach so much as it has lost something essential. Schreiner doesn’t reject the grammatical-historical method—he recovers what it leaves behind. Drawing on patristic and medieval exegesis, Schreiner offers a coherent, historically grounded framework for reading Scripture through all four senses in conversation, a method that better honors the nature, goal, and ecclesial context of biblical interpretation.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
Shepherd’s Notes on the Old Testament. “Understand the Bible like never before, book by book. Shepherd’s Notes on the Old Testament includes helpful commentary and study tools for every book of the Old Testament in a concise and easy-to-understand format. Simple, understandable steps outline and underscore the key points of the biblical text, providing quick access and insight on the authorship, circumstances of writing, and key truths found in each book. This concise and helpful commentary can be used for Bible studies, teaching, personal devotions, Christian and home schools, or sermon preparation. Shepherd’s Notes on the Old Testament features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB).” (Buy it from Amazon.)
Psalms 1–72 (The New American Commentary) by Daniel J. Estes. “The New American Commentary (NAC) is for those who have been seeking a commentary that honors the Scriptures, represents the finest in contemporary evangelical scholarship, and lends itself to the practical work of preaching and teaching. This series serves as a minister’s friend and a student’s guide. The New American Commentary assumes the inerrancy of Scripture, focuses on the intrinsic theological and exegetical concerns of each biblical book, and engages the range of issues raised in contemporary biblical scholarship. Drawing on the knowledge and skills of over forty scholars and encompassing forty volumes, the NAC brings together scholarship and piety to produce a tool that enhances and supports the life of the church.” (Buy it from Amazon.)
ESV Applying the Gospel Study Bible for Men. “The ESV Applying the Gospel Study Bible for Men is thoughtfully designed to help men encounter Christ in Scripture and apply the gospel to their everyday lives. Featuring gospel-centered study notes, engaging book introductions, and thoughtful articles, this Bible illuminates how God’s redemptive purposes unfold throughout Scripture. Fresh daily devotionals written by trusted authors like Dane Ortlund, Alistair Begg, Stephen Nichols, Ray Ortlund, and David Gibson focus on heart-level application and help men live a life of love and integrity empowered by the gospel.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
ESV Applying the Gospel Study Bible for Women. “The ESV Applying the Gospel Study Bible for Women is thoughtfully designed to help women encounter Christ in Scripture and apply the gospel to their everyday lives. Featuring gospel-centered study notes, engaging book introductions, and thoughtful articles, this Bible illuminates how God’s redemptive purposes unfold throughout Scripture. Fresh daily devotionals by trusted authors like Joni Eareckson Tada, Ruth Chou Simons, Caroline Cobb, Kristen Wetherell, Emily Jensen, and Jen Oshman focus on heart-level application and help women live a life of love and faithfulness empowered by the gospel.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
Awake, My Soul: Hymn Readings for Daily Devotion by Dan Kreider. “From The Sing! Hymnal editor Dan Kreider, this elegant devotional features 365 classic hymns, including many unfamiliar gems, each paired with a brief meditation and suggested tune. Features two-color printing, two satin ribbons, and a title index in a beautiful cloth-bound hardcover volume.” (Buy it from Amazon or Westminster Books.)
