Kinds of Psalms

Kind

General Format

Variations

Description

Examples

Lament (a cry of distress)

·            Address to God

·            Complaint

·            Request

·            Expression of trust

·            And sometimes…

·            Vow to praise, sacrifice & instruct others

·            Expression of joy (if the complaint is resolved)

·            Curse

·            Corporate lament

·            The community addresses their complaint to God.

·            12, 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90, 94, 123, 126, 129

·            Individual lament

·            Complaints about one’s own thoughts, the actions of others about God himself.

·            Psalms 3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 36, 39, 40:12-17, 41, 42-43, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 64, 69, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89, 120, 139, 141, 142

·            Lament of repentance

·            Involves a confession of sin and a desire to change.

·            6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143

·            Lament of imprecation

·            An expression of anger at others to God. Often calls for curses on enemies.

·            35, 69, 88, 109, 137, 140

Gratitude

·            Announcement of the intention to express gratitude

·            Explanation of God's deliverance

·            Conclusion

·            Corporate gratitude

·            The community thanks God for what he has done.

·            65, 67, 75, 107, 124, 136

·            Individual gratitude

·            Usually gratitude for God’s help or deliverance.

·            18, 21, 30, 32, 34, 40, 66, 92, 108, 116, 118, 138

·            Gratitude for God’s acts in history

·            Reflects on how God has acted in history to provide for and protect his people.

·            8, 105-106, 135, 136

·            Expressions of trust

·            The psalmist asserts his trust and confidence in God.

·            11, 16, 23, 27, 62, 63, 91, 121, 125, 131

Wisdom

·            These psalms are similar in form content to the wisdom books: Job, Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes.

·            General wisdom

·            Argues for the superiority of God and his ways.

·            1, 10, 12, 15, 32, 34, 36, 37, 49, 50, 52, 53, 73, 78, 82, 91, 92, 94, 111, 112, 127, 128, 139

·            The Law

·            Extols God’s revelation and especially his Law.

·            1, 19, 119

Praise

·            Call to praise God

·            Reason for the praise, including God's attributes, actions in history, creation, etc.

·            A conclusion – often a repetition of the opening call to praise

·            Hymns

·            Songs of exuberant praise to the Lord.

·            8, 19:1-6; 33, 66:1-12, 67, 95, 100, 103, 104, 111, 113, 114, 117, 145-150

·            Covenant songs

·            Songs about God’s covenant relationships with his people

·            50, 67, 72:17-19; 78, 81, 89, 132

·            Hymns of Mount Zion/Temple

·            Praises for Mt. Zion, where the temple sits, or the temple itself.

·            Mt. Zion: 46, 48, 76, 84, 87, 122; The temple: 15, 24, 68, 82, 115, 134

·            Royal Psalms

·            Praises a human king or King Yahweh for his protection and rule.

·            2, 20, 21, 29, 45, 47, 93:1-2; 96-99, 110, 144

·            Messianic Psalms

·            Psalms about the “anointed one.”

·            2, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 35, 40, 41, 45, 55, 61, 69, 72, 89, 102, 109, 110, 132

This classification is adapted from http://www.cresourcei.org/psalmtypes.html, copyright © 1999 Dennis Bratcher/Christian Resource Institute.

Our use of Bratcher’s old classification (he has since modified this) should not be construed as an endorsement of the views expressed on his website, which we do not endorse.