Psalms
Old Testament • 150 Chapters
About This Book
Psalms is the Bible's prayer and worship book, containing 150 poems and songs expressing the full range of human emotion in relationship with God. Composed primarily by David, with contributions from Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, and anonymous writers, the Psalms provided Israel's hymnbook and devotional literature. The collection is divided into five books, perhaps paralleling the Torah's five books. Psalms encompass diverse genres: praise psalms celebrating God's character and mighty acts; lament psalms crying out in distress, questioning, suffering, yet ultimately trusting God; thanksgiving psalms expressing gratitude for deliverance; wisdom psalms reflecting on righteous living versus wickedness; royal psalms concerning Israel's king and messianic expectations; and imprecatory psalms calling for judgment on enemies.
Many psalms are intensely personal, revealing the writers' struggles, doubts, fears, and faith. David's psalms often arise from specific life situations—fleeing from Saul, his sin with Bathsheba, Absalom's rebellion—making them relatable to believers facing similar circumstances. The Psalms repeatedly affirm God's character: His steadfast love (hesed) endures forever, He is righteous, merciful, faithful, powerful, and present. Creation testifies to His glory, history reveals His faithfulness, and His law is perfect.
Several psalms are explicitly messianic, prophesying Christ's suffering, resurrection, and reign—quoted extensively in the New Testament. The Psalms teach believers to bring everything to God honestly—joy, sorrow, anger, confusion, praise, and doubt. They model authentic prayer and worship while affirming that God welcomes His people's full emotional range, demonstrating that intimacy with God encompasses not just joyful praise but also raw honesty in suffering.