What Are Some Guidelines for Study of the Psalms?

1. What Are Some Guidelines for Study of the Psalms?

Question: Can you give me some information and guidelines in studying the Psalms. Also, what do the names in the titles mean?

Answer: The Hebrew title is "Tehilim", meaning "praises or hymns." It occurs only in the title of Psalms 145:1-21. The Greek title is "Psalomi, from which we get our word "Psalm." The Psalms contain 150 independent compositions. The Jews divided them into five books corresponding to the Five Books of Moses.

Psalms 1:1-6; Psalms 2:1-12; Psalms 3:1-8; Psalms 4:1-8; Psalms 5:1-12; Psalms 6:1-10; Psalms 7:1-17; Psalms 8:1-9; Psalms 9:1-20; Psalms 10:1-18; Psalms 11:1-7; Psalms 12:1-8; Psalms 13:1-6; Psalms 14:1-7; Psalms 15:1-5; Psalms 16:1-11; Psalms 17:1-15; Psalms 18:1-50; Psalms 19:1-14; Psalms 20:1-9; Psalms 21:1-13; Psalms 22:1-31; Psalms 23:1-6; Psalms 24:1-10; Psalms 25:1-22; Psalms 26:1-12; Psalms 27:1-14; Psalms 28:1-9; Psalms 29:1-11; Psalms 30:1-12; Psalms 31:1-24; Psalms 32:1-11; Psalms 33:1-22; Psalms 34:1-22; Psalms 35:1-28; Psalms 36:1-12; Psalms 37:1-40; Psalms 38:1-22; Psalms 39:1-13; Psalms 40:1-17; Psalms 41:1-13; Psalms 42:1-11 correspond to Genesis, subject: man and creation. Psalms 43:1-5; Psalms 44:1-26; Psalms 45:1-17; Psalms 46:1-11; Psalms 47:1-9; Psalms 48:1-14; Psalms 49:1-20; Psalms 50:1-23; Psalms 51:1-19; Psalms 52:1-9; Psalms 53:1-6; Psalms 54:1-7; Psalms 55:1-23; Psalms 56:1-13; Psalms 57:1-11; Psalms 58:1-11; Psalms 59:1-17; Psalms 60:1-12; Psalms 61:1-8; Psalms 62:1-12; Psalms 63:1-11; Psalms 64:1-10; Psalms 65:1-13; Psalms 66:1-20; Psalms 67:1-7; Psalms 68:1-35; Psalms 69:1-36; Psalms 70:1-5; Psalms 71:1-24; Psalms 72:1-20 correspond to Exodus (about Israel and redemption). Psalms 73:1-28; Psalms 74:1-23; Psalms 75:1-10; Psalms 76:1-12; Psalms 77:1-20; Psalms 78:1-72; Psalms 79:1-13; Psalms 80:1-19; Psalms 81:1-16; Psalms 82:1-8; Psalms 83:1-18; Psalms 84:1-12; Psalms 85:1-13; Psalms 86:1-17; Psalms 87:1-7; Psalms 88:1-18; Psalms 89:1-52 correspond to Leviticus (about worship and the temple). Psalms 90:1-17; Psalms 91:1-16; Psalms 92:1-15; Psalms 93:1-5; Psalms 94:1-23; Psalms 95:1-11; Psalms 96:1-13; Psalms 97:1-12; Psalms 98:1-9; Psalms 99:1-9; Psalms 100:1-5; Psalms 101:1-8; Psalms 102:1-28; Psalms 103:1-22; Psalms 104:1-35; Psalms 105:1-45; Psalms 106:1-48 correspond to Numbers (about our sojourn on the earth). Psalms 107:1-43; Psalms 108:1-13; Psalms 109:1-31; Psalms 110:1-7; Psalms 111:1-10; Psalms 112:1-10; Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 114:1-8; Psalms 115:1-18; Psalms 116:1-19; Psalms 117:1-2; Psalms 118:1-29; Psalms 119:1-176; Psalms 120:1-7; Psalms 121:1-8; Psalms 122:1-9; Psalms 123:1-4; Psalms 124:1-8; Psalms 125:1-5; Psalms 126:1-6; Psalms 127:1-5; Psalms 128:1-6; Psalms 129:1-8; Psalms 130:1-8; Psalms 131:1-3; Psalms 132:1-18; Psalms 133:1-3; Psalms 134:1-3; Psalms 135:1-21; Psalms 136:1-26; Psalms 137:1-9; Psalms 138:1-8; Psalms 139:1-24; Psalms 140:1-13; Psalms 141:1-10; Psalms 142:1-7; Psalms 143:1-12; Psalms 144:1-15; Psalms 145:1-21; Psalms 146:1-10; Psalms 147:1-20; Psalms 148:1-14; Psalms 149:1-9; Psalms 150:1-6 correspond to Deuteronomy (about praise and the word of God). The Psalms are all lyrical, or songs adapted to musical instruments, and were all religious lyrics designed to be used in the sanctuary worship. Musical instruments accompanied the singing of the Psalms; such as the harp, psaltery, flute, pipe, horn, trumpet, timbrel and cymbal. Remember, King David had an orchestra of 4,000. (1 Chronicles 23:5). The Psalms were written to be sung. Moses sang and taught the people to sing. (Exodus 15:1-21 and Deuteronomy 32:1-44). Israel sang. (Numbers 21:17).Deborah and Barak sang. (Judges 5:1-31). David sang. (2 Samuel 6:5; 2 Samuel 6:14; 2 Samuel 6:16). Hezekiah's singers sang the Psalms with trumpets sounding (2 Chronicles 29:28-30). Nehemiah had singers at the dedication of the wall. (Nehemiah 12:42). When we study Psalms with an open heart and allow them to direct our lives, we will also sing with joy. The Psalms are the only book that contains every psychological experience of a human being. The Psalms are the anatomy of all parts of the soul. They will touch every feeling or thought that anyone has ever had. For the Christian who needs comfort, understanding, compassion, direction, inspiration and hope, the Psalms are the answer. It has been called the masterpiece of Psychology! Of the 283 New Testament quotations from the Old Testament, 116 are from Psalms.

Psalms 119:1-176 is the longest Psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. Psalms 117:1-2 is the shortest, being the middle chapter of the Bible. Psalms 118:8 is the middle verse of the Bible.

If a person would only apply God's principles for a happy life, as found in the Psalms, the need for psychologists and psychiatrists would vanish. "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalms 118:8).