Where Your Treasure Is: Psalms that Summon You from Self to Community

By Eugene H. Peterson

Book Overview

This is a bold book. It has to do with changing the life of American society, from the inside out, through "source action" of prayer.

"I have written a book for Christians," says Eugene Peterson, "who want to do something about what is wrong with America and want to plunge into the center, not tinker at the edge. I have chosen eleven psalms that shaped the politics of Israel and can shape the politics of America, and I have taken them seriously...I have written to encourage Christians to pray them both as children of God with eternal destinies and as American citizens with daily responsibilities in caring for our nation."

Peterson is concerned with the "unselfing" of our self-preoccupied, self-bound society through the action of praying together with other believers. He offers insightful, thought-provoking reflections on eleven select psalm-prayers that can help us overcome such things as self-centeredness, self-assertiveness, self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, self-pity, self-service, and self-love.

Originally published under the title Earth and Altar and now being reprinted for wider distribution, Where Your Treasure Is provides solid fare for any thoughtful, concerned Christian. But the book is especially suitable for group study and discussion: what Peterson writes here will serve to stir small groups of Christians to pointed reflection and prayer-action.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B005H778P6
• ISBN13: 9780802801159
• Release Date: November 1993
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Unselfing Ourselves from Self-centered Plastic Christianity

I am a big fan of Eugene Peterson's writings, so I admit being a little prejudiced I guess--but here is another 5 star pick from him I would highly recommend. In looking at 11 different Psalms the author calls believers to abandon the shallowness that passes for much of American Christianity for a deeper walk in "unselfing" ourselves to impact us personally, families, churches, society and our world in general...moving from self-centeredness to community. Excellent and cannot recommend highly enough. Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.