Lesson 3:
Types of Psalms

What are the various types of psalms?

o Tremper Longman III established seven primary types (genres) of psalms in his book How to Read the Psalms.

o Hymn.

o Lament.

o Thanksgiving.

o Confidence.

o Remembrance.

o Wisdom.

o Kingship.

Hymn

o Recognized by their exuberant praise of the Lord (example 103:1-2).

o Structure. A hymn has two primary elements in its structure.

§ Call to worship (example 113:1)

§ Reasons for praise (example 92:1, 4)

Lament

o A lament portrays the psalmist in great distress who can only turn to God (example 22:1-2).

o Three types of laments: 1) the psalmist is troubled by his own thoughts or actions, 2) the psalmist may be concerned about actions of others (enemies) against him, or 3) he may express frustration with God himself.

o Structure. A lament has some (but often not all) of the following seven elements.

§ Invocation (example 12:1).

§ Plea to God to help (example 17:1).

§ Complaints (example 22:6-7).

§ Confession of sin (example 69:5).

§ or assertion of innocence (example 26:5).

§ Curse of enemies (example 109:8-9).

§ Confidence in God’s response (example 54:4).

§ Hymn or blessing (example 26:12).

Thanksgiving

o Thanksgiving psalms express gratitude to the Lord for answered prayer. Often they are a response to an answered lament.

o Structure.

§ A Thanksgiving psalm begins either with the intention to praise the Lord (example 34:1) or with a blessing (example 32:1).

§ The remainder of the psalm continues to praise the Lord and may call on others to join in their praise to the Lord.

Confidence

o A Confidence psalm expresses trust in the Lord’s goodness and power (example 3:3-6).

o Structure.

§ A Confidence Psalm often employs a metaphor to describe God’s presence.

· Refuge (example 11:1).

· Shepherd (example 23:1).

· Light (example 27:1).

· Rock (example 62:2).

· Help (example 121:2).

Remembrance

o Remembrance Psalms recall God’s past acts of redemption on behalf of the people of Israel (example 136:10-11).

o Structure

§ A remembrance psalm refers to acts of God in Israel’s history (example 78:5-7).

Wisdom

o Wisdom psalms extol the virtues of following God’s Law (example 19:7), and sometimes the consequences of not following God’s Law.

o Structure

§ The Wisdom Psalms reflect some benefit of following God’s Law (example 1:1, 6)

Kingship

o There are two types of Kingship Psalms: human and divine.

§ The human kingship psalms focus on the king of Israel (example 20:9).

§ The divine kingship psalms focus on God as king (example 47:7).