Since literature appeals to our feelings as well as our senses, it can enrich our emotional
life. Lyric poetry in particular celebrates such great lyric subjects as love and friendship. The
emotional high points in our lives are thus captured and explored. But also our feelings at low
points such as separation and death can find relief through expression in literature. The Psalms,
the Song of Solomon, Lamentations and the book of Job are all excellent examples of this. My
former classmate and long-time professor of Old Testament, Tremper Longman, has co-authored