Psalms

About Psalms

Psalms is the Bible's songbook and prayer book: 150 poems of praise, lament, thanks, anger, trust, and hope. Israel sang them in worship, and believers ever since have used them to bring every human feeling honestly to God. In the Bible's big story, they keep pointing to God's promised King — and the New Testament quotes them about Jesus more than any other book.

Written by

Psalms is a collection by many writers over many centuries — about half are linked to David, with others tied to Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, and unnamed poets.

When

The psalms were written across roughly a thousand years, from the era of Moses through the exile and after, and were gathered into their final form by about 400 to 300 BC.

Themes

• Honest prayer for every emotion
• Praise and worship
• Trust in dark valleys
• God's promised King
• Delight in God's Word

Key verses

• Psalm 1:1-2Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
• Psalm 23:1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
• Psalm 150:6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!