Scotty Gray's "Hermeneutics of Hymnody" is a comprehensive and integrated approach to understanding hymns. It is unique in its holistic and interrelated exploration of the biblical, theological, liturgical, literary, musical, practical, and historical/biographical/sociocultural dimensions of one of the most basic forms of Christian literature. A chapter is devoted to each of these seven broad facets of hymnody and relates that facet to each of the others. Those who write hymns, compose hymn tunes, study hymns, compile hymnals, select hymns and tunes for the ministries of the church, and those...