PSALMS - OVERVIEW, PART TWO
  The Way of Life Spiritual Development Center
 
Psalms Overview, Part Two

Types of Psalms
Even though some of the psalms overlap in their types, there are seven main categories.

1. Laments comprise the largest group of psalms. There are more than 60 individual and corporate laments (more than 40% of all 150 psalms). The psalmists spoke to God in moments of desperation and despair. These are psalms for help.

Individual Laments include Psalm 3-7, 13, 22, 31, 39, 40, 42, 54-57, 71, 120, 139, and 142. These psalms help individuals express their struggles, suffering, and disappointment to God.

Corporate Laments include 12, 44, 80,94, and 137. They do the same for a group of people rather than just for an individual.

2. Thanksgiving Psalms were used in circumstances opposite from those of laments. They expressed joy to the Lord because of someone's victory. The 10 individual psalms of thanksgiving are 8, 18, 19, 29, 30, 32, 34, 40, 66, 92, 116, 118, and 138. The six corporate psalms of thanksgiving are 65, 67 75, 107, 124, and 136.

3. Hymns of Praise center on praise to God for who He is, or for His greatness. Some hymns o praise are 8, 19, 104, and 148 among others.

4. Salvation History Psalms are few. They focus on the review of the history of God's saving work among the people of Israel. These psalms include 78, 105, 106, 135, and 136.

5. Psalms of Celebration and Affirmation make up several types of psalms.

a. Covenant Renewal Liturgies, such as Psalms 50 and 81, are designed to lead God's people to a renewal of the covenant God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai.

b. Royal Psalms include Psalms 2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, and 144. They portray the reign of the earthly king, as well as the heavenly kingship of God.

c. Enthronement Psalms  (24, 29, 47, 93, and 95-99) celebrate the enthronement of the king in ancient Israel and God for His creation and sovereignty.

d. Songs of Zion or Pilgrimage Psalms  are the songs worshipers sang as they traveled to Jerusalem to Jewish festivals.  Psalms 43, 46, 48, 76, 84, 87, and 122 focus on Jerusalem, the holy city.

e. Imprecatory Psalms  invoke God's wrath and judgment against enemies. Examples: 7, 35, 40, 55, 58, 69, 79, 109, 137, 139, and 144.

f. Liturgies are thanksgiving psalms sung when entering the sanctuary, such as Psalm 100.

6. Wisdom Psalms (1, 36, 37, 49, 73, 100, 112, 119, 128, and 133) praise the merits of wisdom and righteousness.

7. Songs of Trust (11, 16, 23, 27, 62, 63, 91, 121, 125, and 131) center their attention on the fact that God may be trusted, and even in times of trouble His goodness and protective are still present.

Form of a Psalm
Use this to determine a psalm by its characteristics or structure. Knowing the form of the psalm will help you understand it.

Function of a Psalm
Each psalm had an intended purpose in the life of Israel. They were not only used as hymns but they were also used as part of worship. They were used to make a connection between the worshiper and God.

Pattern of a Psalm
The psalmist used certain arrangements or repetitions of words and sounds, as well as word play. Some psalms are acrostic. That means the initial letters of each line or verse are patterns of the Hebrew alphabet. This is not evident in English. Psalm 119 is an example of an acrostic psalm. Some study Bibles show the Hebrew alphabet listed at the beginning of each division.

Literary Unit
Each psalm should be considered as a stand-alone literary unit. Unlike most of the books of the Bible, you do not need to know what comes before a psalm or after a psalm to understand a particular psalm. Each psalm is a literary unit all by itself.

Exposition of a Psalm
An exposition of a psalm is the presentation of all information within the psalm such as facts, ideas, etc. in a clear precise form. In other words, an exposition is a detailed explanation.

Psalm 3: A Lament with all six elements

1. Direct Address:  "O Lord"

2.  Complaint: About Enemies

3. Trust: "But you are a shield"

4. Deliverance: Psalmist pleads for God to deliver from him from the situation described in his complaint.

5. Assurance: Psalmist expresses assurance that God will deliver him.

6. Praise: Psalmist offered praise, thanking and honoring Gof for the blessing of the past, present, and future.

Psalm 138: A Thanksgiving Psalm with five elements

1. Introduction: Psalmist's testimony of how God has helped is summarized.

2. Distress: The situation from which God gave deliverance is portrayed.

3. Appeal: The psalmist reiterates the appeal that was made to God.

4. Deliverance: The deliverance of God is described.

5. Testimony: A word of praise for God's mercy is given.

Features of a Psalm (found at the top of each psalm)
The heading is called the superscription. It is written in a different type in the Bible to distinguish it from the psalm itself. The heading gives information about the psalm and is included at the top of 100 of the psalms. The remaining psalms without a heading are called orphans because they don't belong to any of the psalmists. They are anonymous.

Hebrew Words Throughout the Psalms

1.  Praise
2.  Worship
3.  Selah is a musical direction since the psalms comprise a hymn book. It is used about 71 times in the 150 psalms. Some psalms don't have the word at all while other psalms have it multiple times.

This word gives direction to the worshipers and should not be spoken when reading the psalms in corporate worship (even though this happens sometimes). Remember it is part of the hymn as a musical notation to either pause while the orchestra continues or to separate the hymns or sections of the hymns.
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Last updated  2025/09/04 18:07:40 EDTHits  152