Types of Psalms

Question 1

Hymns

Answer 1

1. Songs of praise and thanksgiving
2. Individual thanksgiving
3. Communal thanksgiving
4. General praise - Attempts to magnify the name of God and boast about His greatness.
5. Descriptive - Praise of God’s attributes and acts.

Question 2

Penitential Psalms

Answer 2

1. Expresses sorrow for sin and appeals to God for forgiveness.
2. Can be personal or corporate.
3. David wrote 5 out of the 7.

Question 3

Wisdom and Didactic Psalms

Answer 3

1. General observations on life, especially our relationship to God.
2. Often includes the exhortation to fear the Lord.

Question 4

Royal Psalms

Answer 4

1. Focus on the king as the son of David and as God’s special instrument to rule his people.
2. God accomplishes His plans through his “anointed.”
3. He is heir to God’s covenant 2 Sam. 7.
4. Enthronement Psalms were sung at the coronation of kings

Question 5

Messianic Psalms

Answer 5

1. Describe some aspect of the Messiah’s person or ministry.
2. They describe God’s ‘anointed one’ who would one day restore Israel and establish everlasting salvation.

Question 6

Imprecatory Psalms

Answer 6

1. A call for God’s judgement against His enemies, or His people’s enemies.
2. Can be individual or corporate.
3. David wrote many of these - But David did not take vengeance on his enemies, he called God to execute judgement.
4. To “imprecate” means to pray against, or to invoke evil, or call down a curse upon something or someone.

Question 7

Lament Psalms

Answer 7

1. Lament one’s condition; usually include a statement of lament, a statement of trust in God, and an affirmation of praise to Him.
2. Most of the Psalms are of lament Psalms.
3. Individual lament - directly addressed to God, they petition God to rescue and defend.
4. Communal lament - the nation rather than the individual makes the lament.

Question 8

The Degree or Psalms of Ascents or Pilgrimage songs

Answer 8

1. Sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
2. Sung when the choir ascended the stairs leading to the court of men in the temple.
3. The reference may also be musical in nature referring to the notes rising higher in degrees in succession.

Question 9

Hallel Pslams

Answer 9

1. Use the word “Hallel” and “Hallelujah” often.
2. These six Psalms were sung on the night of Passover.
3. Psalm 118 was likely the Psalm sung during the Triumphal entry.