Psalms Etiquette

Every Psalm can stand on its own
By this, I mean that Psalms do not contain chapters, like in a traditional Bible book; each Psalm is unique and can function as a stand-alone song. Therefore, for example, when referring to Psalm 23, it is incorrect to say Psalm chapter 23; instead, refer to the Psalm as Psalm 23. This misconception of Psalms having chapters likely stems from the fact that all 150 Psalms are collected into five books (most Bibles will note this), which makes one naturally assume that each Psalm is a chapter of those books. Furthermore, the reason that all 150 were collected into five books is still a mystery, but Jewish traditions say it was done to mimic the five books of the Pentateuch – I think this is the reason.  

Many Psalms have superscriptions
116 of the 150 Psalms contain superscriptions or titles. The sad thing is that many English Bibles treat the titles as secondary and put them in a smaller font size, but they are not to be minimized! The original Hebrew text demonstrates that these superscriptions are not in smaller fonts, and many are considered verse 1 or part of the first verse of each Psalm. There is no indication that they are secondary or added later. If a Psalm has a superscription, it’s there for a purpose. Sometimes, it gives the reader valuable context; other times, it might be authorship or the audience for whom the Psalm was written. So, if a Psalm has a superscription, rest assured, it’s part of the original Hebrew text and therefore part of God’s Word.

Psalms is not the original title
The original title of the Book of Psalms was Tehillim (“praise songs”), but the English title “Psalms,” originating from the Septuagint’s Greek rendering Psalmoi, also means “songs of praise.” The title reminds the reader that the Psalms are songs of praise, the ancient hymnal of God’s people. The poetry that forms each Psalm was often set to music; in fact, some older English Bibles have Psalms set to music, and in those Bibles, sheet music was placed next to the Psalm.

There is a Psalm for everyone
All Psalms come under the literary style of poetry, but as one might assume, not all Psalms are the same. Over the years, scholars and bible students have categorized the Psalms into various types or genres: hymns, laments, prayers, thanksgiving Psalms, royal Psalms, wisdom Psalms, and the list goes on. Sometimes, entire sections of particular Psalms have their own genre. Case in point are the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134), designed to be sung by Jewish pilgrims traveling up to Jerusalem for feast days. Then there are categories like Imprecatory Psalms, Penitential Psalms, Messianic Psalms, and every once in a while, you find a Psalm that has a mix of genres like Psalms 9,10, and 123. With such a large variety of Psalms showcased in the Book of Psalms, the reader is sure to find one that is special and life-giving to them.

Pray the Psalms
Augustine, the famous church father, was obsessed with the Psalms. He wrote a commentary on them that took him 26 years to complete.  His very first sermon came from the Psalms.  To him, the Psalms were an integral part of his spiritual life. Augustine says, “If the psalm prays, you pray. If the psalm laments, you lament. If the psalm exalts, you rejoice. If it hopes, you hope. If it fears, you fear. Everything written here is a mirror for us.” Augustine realized the value of the Psalms, which take all human emotions and affections and convert them into prayer.

The Psalms were not all written by David
While David is the author of half of the Psalms, the other Psalms were written by multiple authors: Moses, Solomon, Asaph (David’s chief musician), the sons of Korah (Levitical choir), and Heman and Ethan (worship leaders in the Temple). Amazingly, 49 Psalms have no authorship attached to them, which means that 1/3 of the Psalms are anonymous.  Furthermore, not all Psalms were written during the days of David either. It is estimated that the writing of the Psalms spans almost a thousand years: from the days of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness (Psalm 90) to the days of celebration when Israel is released from the Babylonian captivity and can return home (Psalm 126).

The Psalms are Christocentric
Jesus quoted from the Book of Psalms more than any other Old Testament book.  He began His earthly ministry (wedding of Cana, John 2:17) quoting from the Psalms, and He ended His earthly ministry (on the cross, Luke 23:46) with a quote from the Psalms. Some Psalms may be written about the King or Messiah, while Christ might speak others directly to God. As you read through the Psalms, looking at each one with a Christocentric eye, some aspect of Christ will come into view from every one of them.