Types of Psalms

Gunkel et al.

Hymns of praise (JBC)

Psalm 8	Psalm 19	Psalm 29	Psalm 33
Psalm 46-48	Psalm 65	Psalm 66	Psalm 68?
Psalm 76	Psalm 77???	Psalm 84	Psalm 87
Psalm 93	Psalm 95-99	Psalm 104	Psalm 111
Psalm 113-114	Psalm 117	Psalm 122	Psalm 129
Psalm 134-136	Psalm 139	Psalm 145-150

Songs of Zion (all hymns of praise, too)

Psalm 46

Psalm 47

Psalm 76

Psalm 84

Psalm 87

Psalm 122

Songs Adonai's enthronement (all hymns of praise, too)

According to the JBC, the image of God being enthroned as King may be historical, eschatological, or liturgical.

Psalm 47

Psalm 93

Psalm 97

Psalm 99

Psalm 95?

Psalm 96?

Psalm 98?

Psalm 100?

Laments

Psalm 3	Psalm 4	Psalm 5	Psalm 6
Psalm 7	Psalm 10	Psalm 14	Psalm 17
Psalm 22	Psalm 25	Psalm 26	Psalm 27
Psalm 28	Psalm 35	Psalm 36	Psalm 38
Psalm 39	Psalm 40	Psalm 42	Psalm 43
Psalm 51	Psalm 52	Psalm 54	Psalm 55
Psalm 56	Psalm 57	Psalm 58	Psalm 59
Psalm 61	Psalm 63	Psalm 64	Psalm 69
Psalm 70	Psalm 71	Psalm 77	Psalm 86
Psalm 88	Psalm 102	Psalm 109	Psalm 120
Psalm 140	Psalm 141	Psalm 142	Psalm 143

Thanksgiving

Psalm

Royal Psalms

Psalm

Wisdom Psalms

Psalm

Liturgical Psalms

Psalm

Historical Psalms

Psalm

Torah Psalms

Psalm 1

Psalm 19

Psalm 119

Songs of ascent.

Psalm 120-134.

Penitential Psalms

These seven psalms were identified during the seventh century AD as "suitable to express repentance" (NAB, Ps 6).

• Psalm 6
• Psalm 32
• Psalm 38
• Psalm 51 — Miserere
• Psalm 102
• Psalm 130 — De Profundis
• Psalm 143

Hallel

Psalms 113-118: Used for praise and thanksgiving by observant Jews on Jewish holidays.

Psalms 146-150: "Daily Hallel." Introduced by "Ashrei," a prayer that includes all of Psalm 145.

Alphabetical structure — Acrostic Psalms

Psalm 9:	2 verses for each of the 22 Hebrew consonants
Psalm 10:	2 verses each
Psalm 25:	1 verse each
Psalm 34:	1 verse each
Psalm 37:	2 verses each
Psalm 111:	½ verse each
Psalm 112:	½ verse each
Psalm 119:	8 verses each
Psalm 145:	1 verse each

Psalms with imprecation against enemies

From the standpoint of the New Covenant, God's enemies — and ours — are no longer any nation or ethnic group, but sin in all of its forms. Our enemies are the spiritual antagonists from the world, our own flesh, and the devil who tempt us to pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth, and every other form of disobedience to the law of love. We may pray wholeheartedly against these spiritual enemies, but love all of God's children who, like us, were the object of God's mercy in the death and resurrection of God the Son.

Psalms 53, 83, and 109 are not included in the Breviary ordinarily used by priests and laity.

• Psalm 5
• Psalm 6
• Psalm 11
• Psalm 12
• Psalm 14 — also classified as a lament.
• Psalm 35
• Psalm 37
• Psalm 40
• Psalm 52
• Psalm 53 — essentially the same as Psalm 14.
• Psalm 54
• Psalm 56
• Psalm 58
• Psalm 69
• Psalm 79
• Psalm 83
• Psalm 109
• Psalm 137
• Psalm 139
• Psalm 143

Duplicate Psalms

Problems of rolling, unrolling a scroll?

Copied from one scroll to another?

Different collections?

Different liturgies?

53 & 14

70 & 40:13-17

108 & 57:7-11/60:5-12 — One Psalm made up of two others.