Introduction to Psalms

The book of Psalms in modern Protestant Bibles includes 150 poetic compositions meant to be sung or spoken by God’s people. The psalms are directed at Yahweh as listener and are intended to express the full range of human emotion for various individual and group settings, such as praise, thanksgiving, petition, and lament. Psalms was Israel’s book of worship and is meant to guide God’s people from generation to generation.

Background

The English title Psalms comes from the Greek word psalmos—the name for the book in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the ot). The psalms were collected over a long period and written by different people. Many include a heading, with the most common being translated as “of David.” While this could indicate that David is the author of these psalms, the original Hebrew text is ambiguous; these psalms could have been written about, to, for, or in honor of David.

Outside of these tributes to specific moments in Israel’s history (at the beginning of some psalms), the psalms rarely mention a specific occasion affiliated with their composition. Instead, the psalms’ language is open-ended, reflecting their intended ongoing use in the community—in worship gatherings, coronations, festivals, and as individual prayers. Many psalms mention the specific liturgies or rituals in which they were to be used, and many contain clues that indicate they were likely used at the temple or for particular processions and sacrifices. The inclusion of musical terms in some psalms suggests that many were performed with musical accompaniment and even with particular instruments.

The titles and content of the psalms shows that they were an ongoing part of Israel’s history. There are many that likely date to the united monarchy under David and Solomon (10th century bc), and some of the earliest psalms could date to the time of Moses (15th or 13th century bc; see Psa 90). There are also some that date to the Babylonian exile or a little later (sixth century bc; see Psa 137).

Various groupings within the Psalter indicate that there were collections of psalms in existence prior to the current form of the collection—such as the psalms of the sons of Korah (Pss 42–49; 84–85; 87–88), the prayers of David (72:20), and the Songs of Ascents (Pss 120–134). By the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls (circa 250 bc–ad 50), Psalms as a collection had become part of one scroll, but the Psalms manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls show that the precise order and extent of the collection was still in flux. Jesus refers generally to “the Psalms,” showing the authority of the collection in the first century ad (Luke 24:44).

Structure

The psalms are often deeply personal and are intentionally crafted literary works, not impromptu expressions. The majority of the psalms reflect ancient poetic conventions, including intricate structures and literary allusions.

As a whole, Psalms functions as an ancient book of prayers and hymns, with different kinds of songs or poetic compositions for different occasions. Liturgies were used for festivals in ancient Israel, such as Passover and the Feast of Weeks. Royal psalms celebrated the king’s coronation, while other psalms honored God’s kingship. There were songs of thanksgiving, as well as two kinds of laments—for individuals and for the community. Some psalms were written to be sung on pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and others were intended to celebrate Yahweh’s presence in Jerusalem. Many of the psalms recall Yahweh’s gracious actions toward Israel throughout its history, and some look forward to God’s messiah—finding their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.

Psalms is organized into five sections called “books.” These probably were intended to mirror the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. These main sections contain smaller groupings of psalms, such as the Songs of Ascents (Pss 120–134).

Outline

• Book One (1–41)

• Book Two (42–72)

• Book Three (73–89)

• Book Four (90–106)

• Book Five (107–150)

Themes

The psalms provide patterns of praise, worship, and lament for God’s people from generation to generation. As communal prayers, the psalms show worshipers how to articulate joyful praise and distressed cries—serving to teach believers and provide words for them to express their feelings to Yahweh. Hymns and temple liturgies prepare Yahweh’s followers to experience the presence of the cosmic king. Laments implore Yahweh for compassion. Petitions plead with Him to intervene in the world. These motifs illustrate the character of Yahweh, who involves Himself in the messiness of human affairs and acts mightily on His people’s behalf.

The psalms directly address Yahweh while conveying truths about Him. No matter what we’re experiencing, these ancient compositions provide us with powerful words, inviting us to pour out our hearts before the God of the universe.

Further Reading

David and the Psalm Titles

Acrostic Psalms

Psalms, Book of LBD:I