What Are the Types of Psalms and Their Themes?
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If there is one book in the Bible that speaks to the realities of the human experience it is the book of Psalms. If you have never read them or seriously looked at them, let this article be an encouragement and motivation to do just that. There are several different types of Psalms that follow different themes and will speak directly to the seasons of life.
The Psalms represent the full gamut of human emotions. You will find just about every human emotion represented in the Psalms, and you will also discover many common questions about life are asked within the Psalms. The individuals who wrote them were using a vehicle to express what was going on in their hearts. Like a modern-day song writer or poet, the Psalms were just that – sacred songs or poems expressing the author’s thoughts and feelings at that moment in their life. They expressed thoughts about God, about life, literally about everything. Here is how R.E.O. White describes the Psalms, which I believe captures their essence.
“… what has endeared the psalms to every generation, and evoked most wonder, is their immense breadth of religious experience, of pious feeling, aspiration, complaint, struggle, protest, and regret. The psalms mirror the human soul in all its vicissitudes of faith and unbelief, joy and perplexity, rebellion and submission. And they do so with utmost honesty, freedom, and boldness, as individuals or congregations confess their sins, complain of man’s ill-treatment or of God’s silence, call down judgment on their enemies, plead piteously for longer life, healing, deliverance, or comfort. Bitter resentment at life’s unfairness, protest at God’s mysterious ways, his delay in helping, his anger or his inactivity, are balanced by joyous outbursts of praise, gladness, thanksgiving, and testimony to God’s faithfulness.”
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What Are the Different Types of Psalms?
With the different types of Psalms that exist, is it hard to narrow them down to one general message. As we mentioned earlier, they were written to express many different emotions and experiences common to humans as we journey through life. It might even be safe to say that if there is a situation or circumstance you are experiencing in life, there is probably a psalm that expresses that.
To help you understand the different types of Psalms, lets first look at how they are grouped. The larger book of Psalms is grouped into five different smaller books:
Book 1 – Psalm 1-41
Book 2 – Psalm 42-72
Book 3 – Psalm 73-89
Book 4 – Psalm 90-106
Book 5 – Psalm 107–150
Within the book and amongst all the Psalms you will discover several different types of Psalms. The theologian Hermann Gunkel did an extensive study in attempting to classify the different types of Psalms you find within the entire book. Most of what I am going to share with you here is taken from his work. Other theologians and scholars, when they categorize the different types of Psalms, follow a similar order with some variations. Though some of these have subsets, here are five general categories that classify the different types of psalms.
1. Hymns
These were more general in nature and were sung for many different types of worship services. An example of this type is Psalm 29. Here are some of the verses from that Psalm.
“Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness”(Psalm 29:1-2).
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2. Lament/Complaint
There were many times throughout the Psalms that the writers had a complaint. Complaints varied from the success of their enemies or the apparent silence of God. Remember the Psalms cover the full range of human emotions. Here are two examples of these types of Psalms.
“O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads.With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more’”(Psalm 83:1-4).
“I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble.When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who watch over my way.In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life”
3. Royal
These were often presented in the presence of kings, and they would include prayers for the king or praises to the king.
“Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy”(Psalm 45:3-7).
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4. Thanksgiving
These were Psalms of celebration, often remembering the things God had done for them.
“I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise.I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.
When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me”
5. Wisdom
These Psalms would speak of the wisdom of God’s word or instructions and the benefit in following his ways.
“Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes”(Psalm 37:5-7).
Who Wrote the Psalms?
As you may know there, are 150 Psalms, making it the longest book in the Bible. While we often connect the Psalms to David, he was not the sole author. David’s name is attached to 73 of the Psalms, making him the most prolific writer of the Psalms. Some of the other authors include Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, Ethan the Ezrahite, and Haman the Ezrahite.
All combined, these men are credited with writing about 102 of the psalms. The remaining ones were written by anonymous authors, so the truth is we are unsure of the exact number of people who wrote the psalms.
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Why Are There Different Types of Psalms?
The main reason there are different types of Psalms is simply because they reflect life. The different themes expressed in the Psalms is something that should be celebrated. Think of it in this light: God, in putting together his word, allowed for men to express through song the realities of life. That’s why as you go through life there is great wisdom in turning to the Psalms, because you can find scriptures that will represent your feelings or emotions.
If you want to understand the different types of Psalms, there is only one way to do that – you must read them. I would encourage you to read through the Psalms and maybe even attempt to read one per day. As you read them, you will feel the emotions of the writers.
What is even better is to not just read them but to pray them, to sing them, even to praise God with them. After all, remember these were songs written to God and there is nothing better than to pray or sing God’s word back to him. May you find the joy of true human expression as you spend time in the Psalms and as you sing and make melody in your heart to God.
Source
White, R. E. O. (1995). Psalms. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 367). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
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Who Actually Wrote Psalms?
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