The Psalms are Israel's prayer book: one hundred fifty songs and poems that give voice to nearly every human moment. There are hymns of praise, cries of lament, confessions of sin, thanksgivings after rescue, wisdom meditations, royal songs and pilgrim songs sung on the road to Jerusalem. What is striking is their honesty. The psalmists bring fear, anger, doubt and grief to God rather than hiding them, and most laments turn, sometimes slowly, toward trust. The collection is arranged in five books, each ending with a short note of praise, and it begins by inviting the reader into a life rooted in God's teaching. Many psalms look to a coming anointed king, and the New Testament writers repeatedly read them as pointing to Jesus. Christians have prayed the Psalms for centuries, in worship and in private, because they teach us how to speak to God when words fail. They are best read slowly, aloud, and more than once.

Author

Traditionally David, who wrote about half; others include Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon and Moses, and some are anonymous.

Date

Composed over roughly a thousand years, from the time of Moses and David through the exile; the collection reached its final form after the return.

Audience

Israel at worship and in private prayer; the church has adopted them as its own songbook.

Themes

Outline

1. 1:1–41:13Book One: David's prayers
2. 42:1–72:20Book Two: songs of Korah and David
3. 73:1–89:52Book Three: Asaph and the crisis of the kingdom
4. 90:1–106:48Book Four: the Lord reigns
5. 107:1–150:6Book Five: return, pilgrimage and praise

Key verses