Psalms

Have you ever noticed how Psalms are put together? There are five books,one hundred fifty Psalms. There are six named authors. Twelve Psalms are assigned to The Sons of Kohah and sixty one are anonymous. There are 13 different classifications of the Psalms.

1. Lament Psalms contain a plea of deliverance or defense and are directed to God

2. Psalms of confidence,include a Lament but the ideas of security,peace,joy. This may be individual or national

3. Psalms of Thanksgiving express public Thanksgiving for what God has done or in anticipation of what He will do.

4. Psalm of praise are constructed around the key elements; a call to praise,a cause of praise, and a conclusion

5. Enthronement Psalm of the divine kingdom contain expression the Lord reigns and speak of the rule of God

6. Songs of Zion for it's exalted role as the adobe of God's glory and as a religious and political capital of the nation

7. Royal Psalms concern reign of the king,either historical or messianic or both

8. Wisdom Psalms emphasize the traditional teaching of the wise men of Israel: meditation on the law,the way of righteous versus the way of the wicked and the necessity of practical righteousness

9. Historical Psalms trace the history of God's saving activity on behalf of Israel

10. Messianic Psalms are prophetic in some way of the Messiah

11. Imprecatory Psalms contain imprecation or prayer for retributive justice to fall on one's army

12. Psalms of Ascents or Pilgrim Psalms were sung by pilgrims journeying up to Jerusalem for the three annual feast of Passover,Pentecost and Tabernacles

13. Acrostic Psalms are those in which each verse begins with a constructive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 is in a class all by itself with eight verses for each letter of the alphabet.

The first Psalm contains only six verses and speaks of a man who is blessed. The last Psalm also contains six verses but speaks of a God who is praised. No more fitting conclusion to the book could have been written.