Introduction to

The Psalms
 The Psalms
Structure and Outline
• Book I Psalms 1—41
– Davidic Group I Psalms 3—41
• Book II Psalms 42—72
– Sons of Korah Group I Psalms 42—49
– Davidic Group II Psalms 51—71
• Book III Psalms 73—89
– Asaph Group Psalms 73—83
– Sons of Korah Group II Psalms 84—88
• Book IV Psalms 90—106
– Congregational Praise Group I Psalms 95—100
• Book V Psalms 107—150
– Hallelujah Group Psalms 111—117
– Songs of Ascent Psalms 120—134
– Davidic Group III Psalms 138—145
– Congregational Group II Psalms 146—150
 The Psalms
• What Is Psalms?
Psalms is essentially the hymnbook of the Old
Testament. The Hebrew title, Tehillim, literally means
“praises,” but the English title is derived from the
Greek word, psalmoi, which means “songs.”
The 150 psalms are mostly addressed TO GOD.
They present a variety of poetic expressions and a
wide range of emotions, from praise to despair, joy to
fear, and faith to confusion. They are deeply
theological and contain much symbolism and
imagery, employing literary devices such as metaphor,
simile, hyperbole, and others.
 The Psalms
• What Is Psalms? (continued)
“Psalms is a compilation of devotional
poetry that sets the tone for this part of the
Tanakh, which as a whole explores the morally
complex nature of the divine—human
relationship after the exile.” (Harris, 200).
 The Psalms
• Who Wrote Psalms?
Since Psalms is a collection, there are many
authors who contributed to its final from. One-third
of the psalms are attributed to anonymous authors.
100 of the 150 psalms indicate a specific author or
group of authors.

The next slide outlines the authorship of specific

Psalms
 The Psalms
• Who Wrote Psalms? (continued)
• 73 psalms written by David
• 12 psalms written by Asaph
• 11 psalms written by The Sons of Korah
• 2 psalms written by Solomon
• 1 psalm written by Moses
• 1 psalm written by Heman
• 1 psalm written by Ethan
• 49 have anonymous authors
 The Psalms
• Why Was Psalms Written?
Various psalms were written for specific occasions,
but as a whole, the book of Psalms served as a collection
of hymns both for public and private worship. Much like
the hymnody of the day, because of the poetic and
melodic nature of the psalms, they were easy to
memorize. Therefore, since ancient Hebrews did not have
access to copies of Scripture in their homes, the psalms
would have been major sources of theological education
and understanding as well.
 The Psalms
The Seven Categories of Psalms
1. Psalms of Lament
– (ex. 3, 22, 31, 42, 57, 71, 120)
2. Psalms of Thanksgiving
– (ex. 18, 30, 75, 92, 116)
3. Psalms of Praise
– (ex. 8, 29, 93, 115)
4. Psalms of Salvation History
– (ex. 78, 105-106, 135—136)
 The Psalms
The Seven Categories of Psalms
5. Psalms of Celebration
– (ex. 2, 50, 76, 81, 110, 122)
6. Psalms of Wisdom
– (ex. 36, 37, 49, 73, 112, 127)
7. Psalms of Trust
– (ex. 11, 16, 23, 27, 62, 91, 121)
 The Psalms
The Relational World of the Psalms
(Hauer pg. 151-153)
Each psalm focuses on at least one of
the following basic relationships:
• God and “I”
• God and other Divine Beings
• God and Israel
• God and Nature
 The Psalms
Key Themes and Theology in Psalms

• The Proper Worship of God (corporate & individual)

• The Importance of Prayer and Meditation
• The Proper Expression of Honest, Raw Emotion
• Life Is Not Always Pleasant!
1 Blessed
Psalm 1
is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
 Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
 Psalm 51
• Written by David after being confronted with his
sin of adultery and murder by Nathan

• 3 different terms for sin used in vs. 1—3

– Transgression, Rebellion pesha
– Iniquity, Guilt avahn
– Sin khataw

• Note how David prays for God’s Spirit to remain

in spite of his sin. Compare this to King Saul.
 Psalm 103
• We Thank God for Who He Is vs. 1

• We Thank God for What He Does for Us vs. 2

• We Thank God for Forgiveness and Healing vs. 3

• We Thank God for Salvation vs. 4

• We Thank God for Abundant Living vs. 5

• We Tank God for ALL HIS WAYS vs. 6-22

 Psalm 119
• Written as an ACROSTIC from the Hebrew
Alphabet with each section beginning with
the next letter.
• Focuses on exalting the Word of God,
specifically the Torah.
• It is the longest psalm, and longest chapter in
Scripture.
• Key verses: 119:9, 11 119:105
1 Praise the LORD.
Psalm 150
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the
trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.