Psalms

PSALMS

The psalms are the prayers of Israel. They express human experience directed toward God. They reflect the life of a people captivated by God. Tradition credits many of them to King David, with some attributed to Korah and Asaph; however, this is largely conventional. An anonymous line of poets, spanning centuries, offers the most genuine depiction of the creators of these works.
Since life’s circumstances have varied throughout history, certain types of psalms have emerged, been reused, and become established. Therefore, a typological classification based on theme, motifs, composition, and style is preferable.

Hymns praise and are usually communal: their theme is God’s actions in creation and history. Closely related are thanksgivings for personal or collective benefits, such as regained health, vindicated innocence, a victory achieved, or the harvests of the field. From necessity, supplication arises, which is as varied in theme as the needs of the individual or society; the person praying motivates their request, as if to convince or move God. Sometimes, supplication leads to acts of trust, based on past experiences or God’s simple promise.
The royal psalms explore various aspects that shape a unique image of the king, including battles, justice administration, weddings, coronations, and the selection of the dynasty. There is also a point where these psalms begin to carry messianic expectations. Another group sings and praises the Lord’s reign for universal justice.
The sinner confesses his sin and seeks forgiveness through penitential psalms, or the community participates in a penitential liturgy. There are psalms assigned for various liturgical occasions, pilgrimages, and other festivals. Some may be called meditations, focusing on human life or the history of Israel. Others may not fit into specific categories or may break the strict traditional rules.

The psalms are designed for repeated use: they are not limited by the first person who writes or commissions them, nor by the initial historical experience of the people. As literary works, they stay open to new meanings, with symbols that can evolve in different contexts. Sometimes a revision or addition updates them for the present; other times, simply changing the key is enough.
For this reason, the psalms were preserved and compiled. We know that smaller groups formed and were later combined into five sections, similar to a pentateuch of prayer: 2–41; 42–72; 73–89; 90–106; 107–150. During the compilation process, the division and numbering were affected: some psalms were arbitrarily split into two (9–10; 42–43); others appear partially duplicated (70 and 40; 53 and 14). This explains why a different numbering system was used in the Greek tradition. Here, we will present the Hebrew numbering, with the Greco-Latin numbering in parentheses.
Overall, the style of the psalms is characterized by its realism and immediacy, not diminished by the richness of images and simple symbols; only a few fragments with symbols of mythical origin diverge from the general pattern. The expression is passionate without becoming sentimental. The lyricism is more collective than individual; it often includes dramatic elements and developments. Sonority and rhythm are key features of the style. We do not know exactly how they were performed: many were sung, probably with soloists and a choir singing together; some may have included dance, while others were recited during marches or processions; and some accompanied specific rites. Some notes added by the transmitters seem to refer to performance details. These notes, which provide historical context or liturgical instructions, are not original and have been omitted from the text, even though they are included in the accepted numbering.
The psalms are also a special form of prayer for both the Christian community and individuals. Many were prayed by our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave them their full meaning. The experiences of Israel and humanity flow through Christ and must find expression again in these prayers; their language can become the language of Christian prayer. The book of Psalms offers a collection of texts for different occasions and levels; reading them can be interesting, but they are truly understood only when they are prayed.