The Psalms have been the prayer book and hymn book of God's people for three thousand years. Jesus prayed them, the early church sang them, and Christians today read them in times of joy and sorrow. Understanding the different kinds of psalm helps us read them well — and pray them for ourselves.
The book of Psalms at a glance
- 150 psalms written over many centuries.
- Authors include David (73 psalms are linked to him), Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses (Psalm 90) and others; many are anonymous.
- Five books, each ending with a short burst of praise (a "doxology"):
| Book | Psalms | Ends with |
|---|---|---|
| Book 1 | 1–41 | Psalm 41:13 |
| Book 2 | 42–72 | Psalm 72:18–20 |
| Book 3 | 73–89 | Psalm 89:52 |
| Book 4 | 90–106 | Psalm 106:48 |
| Book 5 | 107–150 | Psalm 150 — all praise |
Many see this fivefold arrangement as echoing the five books of Moses.
Headings and musical notes
Many psalms have headings that give an author, a setting or musical instructions — for example, Psalm 51 is "A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him". The word Selah, which appears seventy-one times, is probably a musical or liturgical marker, perhaps a pause.
The main types of psalm
1. Praise (hymns)
These psalms celebrate who God is and what he has done — as Creator, King and Redeemer.
- Examples: Psalms 8, 19, 29, 100, 103, 145–150.
- Key line: "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands" (Psalm 100:1, KJV).
2. Lament
The largest group. Laments are honest cries to God in pain, fear, sickness, betrayal or confusion. They usually move from complaint to request to renewed trust.
- Personal laments: Psalms 13, 22, 42–43, 88.
- Community laments: Psalms 44, 74, 79, 137.
- Key line: "How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever?" (Psalm 13:1).
Laments teach us that faith can be honest with God.
3. Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving psalms thank God for a specific rescue or answered prayer.
- Examples: Psalms 30, 34, 116, 138.
- Key line: "O taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8).
4. Trust (confidence)
These psalms express calm confidence in God's care and protection.
- Examples: Psalms 23, 27, 46, 62, 91, 121.
- Key line: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1–2).
5. Wisdom and law
These psalms reflect on right living and the goodness of God's law.
- Examples: Psalms 1, 37, 112, 119.
- Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is an acrostic: each of its 22 sections begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
6. Penitential (confession)
Seven psalms have traditionally been called the penitential psalms, expressing sorrow for sin and asking forgiveness: Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143.
- Key line: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).
7. Royal and messianic psalms
These concern the king of Israel and, ultimately, the coming Messiah. The New Testament applies several to Jesus.
- Examples: Psalms 2, 22, 45, 72, 110.
- Psalm 110:1 — "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand" — is the Old Testament verse most quoted in the New Testament.
8. Songs of ascents
Psalms 120–134 are titled "A Song of degrees" (ascents). They were probably sung by pilgrims travelling up to Jerusalem for the festivals.
9. Imprecatory psalms
A few psalms call on God to judge enemies (for example Psalms 35, 69, 109, 137). They can be difficult to read. They show people bringing their anger and longing for justice to God rather than taking revenge themselves (compare Romans 12:19).
How to pray the Psalms
- Pray a psalm a day. Many people read five psalms a day to finish the book in a month.
- Match the psalm to your mood — or let a psalm teach you a new kind of prayer.
- Use the words as your own. Read slowly and turn each line into personal prayer.
- Pray with Jesus. Jesus quoted Psalm 22 and Psalm 31 on the cross. The Psalms were his prayers too.
- Pray for others. A lament can become a prayer for someone who is suffering.
Psalms in Indian churches
Many Indian congregations sing psalms set to music in their own languages, and psalm verses are often quoted on cards and in homes. Reading them in your mother tongue, perhaps in a bilingual Bible, can make them even more personal.
Continue with Psalm 23 explained verse by verse, or read the wisdom and poetry books.