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Book 19 of 66 · Wisdom · Songs

Psalms

150 songs and prayers written over hundreds of years. They praise, thank, beg, complain, and even curse. They show that every honest feeling can be brought to God.

The big idea

In short: bring your whole life to God, and let God be the center. The Psalms begin with a person rooted like a tree by water (1:3) and end with “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD” (150:6). In between is every feeling people have.

The Psalms don’t tell you to hide pain. About a third of them are complaints. They teach you to tell God the truth, then remember who God is.

The rule underneath: Law 1 · God first

Love God with everything. You are not the owner.

Keep it: Your life has one center, and everything else finds its place.
Break it: Money, power, or people become your god, and they let you down.

Shows up in: Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, Proverbs, Mark, 1 Corinthians

Other rules in this book: Protect the weakest, Repair, Rest

Live it: Playbook 01 · How to be a person

1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.Psalm 1:1-3 · KJV

At a glance

What it is
A collection of 150 songs and prayers, arranged in five smaller books (1–41, 42–72, 73–89, 90–106, 107–150). Each book ends with a short blessing.
Who wrote it
Many writers. The headings name David for 73 psalms, and also Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses (90), and others. Many psalms have no name. debated
When
Over many centuries, from the time of the kings (about 1000 BC) to after the return from Babylon. Psalm 137 was written after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
Numbering
Catholic and Orthodox Bibles often number most psalms one lower (for example, Psalm 23 is Psalm 22), because the Greek translation joined and split some psalms differently. Orthodox Bibles also include a short Psalm 151. See [the extra books](../books/deuterocanon.html).
Why it matters
It is the prayer book of Jews and Christians. Jesus quotes it on the cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (22:1; Mark 15:34).
Read it in
About 4–5 hours in total. Best read a few psalms a day.

What it says

Praise. Many psalms simply praise God as maker and king. Looking at the stars, one asks, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” (8:4). The answer is that God has “crowned him with glory and honour” (8:5).

Complaint. A big share are laments, which means honest complaints. “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever?” (13:1). Most laments turn to trust by the end. One does not: Psalm 88 ends in darkness (88:18).

Trust. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (23:1). “Be still, and know that I am God” (46:10).

Repair. After his sin with Bathsheba, David prays, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (51:10). God wants “a broken and a contrite heart” more than sacrifices (51:17).

Justice. God tells the powerful, “Defend the poor and fatherless” (82:3). The ideal king “shall deliver the needy when he crieth” (72:12). The person God welcomes speaks truth, keeps promises even when it hurts, and does not charge interest to a neighbor in need (15:2–5).

Money and rest. “The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth” (37:21). Working day and night out of worry is “vain,” for God “giveth his beloved sleep” (127:2).

1A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.Psalm 15:1-5 · KJV
Go deeper
  • Original words. The Hebrew title is Tehillim, “praises,” even though so many are laments. Selah, which appears 71 times, may be a musical pause. debated Hebrew poetry rhymes ideas, not sounds: the second line repeats or answers the first. Scholars call this parallelism.
  • Structure. Five books, echoing the five books of Moses. Psalm 1 (the way of the law) and Psalm 2 (God’s king) open the collection. Psalms 146–150 close it with nonstop praise. Laments come more often in the first half, and praise in the second.
  • How the laws interlock. Law 1 is the center (1:2; 150:6). Law 12 shows in Psalm 51. Law 4 shows in God’s care for the poor (82; 146:9). Laws 5, 6, and 8 are joined in Psalm 15. Law 10 shows in Psalm 127.

Hard parts

The cursing psalms

What it says Some psalms ask God to hurt enemies. The worst: “Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones” (137:9). Another: “Let his days be few… Let his children be fatherless” (109:8–9).

The rule underneath Love the actual person, including the enemy. And tell the truth, including the truth about rage.

What people added Readers take these as honest prayers that hand revenge over to God instead of doing it yourself; as words the church should not pray; or as feelings recorded, not commanded. Some churches leave these verses out of public reading. Churches have split; this page does not settle it.

How it has been used: In 2009, bumper stickers and shirts reading “Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8” were sold in the US. The next verse reads, “Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow” (109:9).

“Hate them that hate thee”

What it says “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee?” (139:21).

The rule underneath Love the actual person. Jesus later says, “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44).

What people added Some readers see the psalm hating evil deeds, not people. Others say it plainly means people, and is later corrected by Jesus. The same psalm ends, “Search me, O God” (139:23), turning the eye back on the one praying.

Does the good person always prosper?

What it says “Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (1:3). But Psalm 73 complains that the wicked are healthy and rich (73:3–12), and Psalm 88 never gets an answer.

The rule underneath God first. The pattern is real, but it is not a machine (see Job).

What people added Most readers take Psalm 1 as a general pattern, not a promise for every case. Some modern teachers have used verses like 1:3 to promise wealth to the faithful; critics call this prosperity teaching. The Psalms themselves keep both voices.

Translation notes that change meaning

  • 23:4 “the valley of the shadow of death.” The Hebrew may simply mean “the darkest valley.” debated
  • 8:5 “lower than the angels.” The Hebrew is elohim, which usually means “God.” The old Greek translation said “angels,” and Hebrews 2:7 follows it.

Where it leads

One thing to do

This week

Write your own psalm

Read Psalm 13. It moves from “How long?” to “I will sing.” Then write six honest lines of your own: two about what hurts, two asking for help, and two about what you still trust. Keep it in your journal.

How to read it. Read one psalm a day, out loud. Start with 1, 8, 13, 15, 23, 51, 88, 90, 103, and 139.