Literary Form
Psalms are technically lyric poems, and their subgenres include praise psalms and laments or complaints. Additional subtypes are identified by content: nature poems, worship psalms (songs of Zion), penitential psalms, historical psalms, royal psalms, meditative psalms, encomium, imprecatory psalms, and epithalamion.
(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. The Bible as Literature by Leland Ryken, Page 113, 140-141)
Bible Book
The book of Psalms, or Psalter, is a collection of 150 poems that express a wide variety of emotions. The English title comes from Greek psalmos, which translates Hebrew mizmor, "song," found in many of the Psalm titles. The Hebrew name Tehillim, "Praises" points to the songs as praises offered to God in public worship.
(The ESV Study BibleTM, English Standard Version (ESV) by Crossway Bibles, 2007. Page 936)
- Author: "of" in the titles refers to authorship, such as "of David." David is the most common author, appearing in 73 titles and credited in the New Testament for two more. Other authors include the Sons of Korah, Asaph, Solomon, and Moses. Some are anonymous.
(The ESV Study BibleTM, English Standard Version (ESV) by Crossway Bibles, 2007. Page 936)
Summary
- 1 - Encomium for the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked
- 15 - Encomium for he who walks blamelessly
- 27 - The LORD is My Light and My Salvation. Of David. Of whom shall I be afraid? I only ask that I may dwell in the LORD's house all my days and gaze upon his beauty and inquire. He hides me, and my foes fall. Offer sacrifices and shouts of joy in his tent. You said, "Seek my face," and I do. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD.
- 95 - Considered a prophetic hymn. The psalmist praises the LORD with a joyful noise, thanksgiving, and kneeling for he is the rock of our salvation, above all gods, maker of the earth. He warns if we hear his voice that we don't harden our hearts as at Meribah and Massah. They went astray in their hearts and have not known His ways, so they shall not enter His rest. (recalls Numbers 14 and expanded in Hebrews 3)
- 112 - Encomium for the man who fears the Lord
- 117 - Shortest Bible chapter. Praise the LORD for great is his love and long is his faithfulness.
- 119 - Encomium for the Law
- 133 - Encomium for brothers dwelling in unity
- 149 - Sing to the LORD a New Song - Praise with dancing, melody, tambourine, lyre and sing in glory and joy in bed. Let them wield two-edged swords for vengeance on the nations, their kings and nobles as honor to all godly ones.
Psalm Topics
Peoples
Places
Vocabulary