At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | David (73 psalms); Asaph (12); Sons of Korah (11); Moses (1, Psa.90); Solomon (2); Heman (1); Ethan (1); anonymous (~50) |
| Date | Compositions from Moses (~1400 BC) through post-exilic (~400 BC) |
| Genre | Hebrew poetry / hymns / prayers |
| Purpose | Israel's + Church's prayer book, full range of human-divine communication |
| Chapters | 150 (Brenton LXX has 151) |
Five books of Psalms
The Psalter is structured into five books, paralleling Pentateuch:
| Book | Psalms | Closing doxology |
|---|---|---|
| Book 1 | 1-41 | 41:13 |
| Book 2 | 42-72 | 72:18-19 |
| Book 3 | 73-89 | 89:52 |
| Book 4 | 90-106 | 106:48 |
| Book 5 | 107-150 | 150 (entire psalm) |
Major psalm types
| Type | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Lament (individual + corporate) | Psa.3; 22; 42-43; 88; 137 | Honest grief, complaint, appeal |
| Praise / hymn | Psa.8; 19; 100; 113; 145-150 | Adoration of God |
| Thanksgiving | Psa.30; 116 | Gratitude for deliverance |
| Wisdom / Torah | Psa.1; 19; 119 | Reflection on Law + righteous life |
| Royal / Messianic | Psa.2; 45; 72; 110 | Davidic king + Messiah |
| Imprecatory | Psa.35; 58; 69; 109; 137 | Calls for divine justice |
| Confession | Psa.32; 38; 51 | Penitence |
| Pilgrimage / Ascent | Psa.120-134 | For temple-going journeys |
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| God's character | Holiness, love, justice, faithfulness |
| Human experience | Full range, joy, grief, anger, despair, hope |
| Davidic-Messianic | Future king prophetically anticipated |
| Trust | "The LORD is my shepherd" type psalms |
| Worship | Music + community + individual |
| Honesty before God | Lament psalms model honest complaint |
Key psalms
- Psa.1, two ways
- Psa.2, Davidic Messiah
- Psa.8, humanity's dignity
- Psa.19, creation + Word + heart
- Psa.22, suffering (Christ's cross)
- Psa.23, Shepherd
- Psa.51, repentance after Bathsheba
- Psa.73, Asaph's struggle resolved
- Psa.90, Moses
- Psa.100, thanksgiving call
- Psa.103, God's love + forgiveness
- Psa.110, Davidic + Messianic (most-cited OT in NT)
- Psa.119, extensive Torah meditation (176 verses)
- Psa.139, God's intimate knowledge
- Psa.150, closing doxology
NT use
Psalms is the most-cited OT book in the NT. Christ quoted Psalms throughout his ministry; Psalm 22 cited on the cross; Psalm 110 cited extensively for Messianic exposition; many Christological readings of psalms by NT writers.