The name of the book of Psalms in Hebrew means “Praises” or “Book of Praises.” Those credited with writing the Psalms are David, 73; Moses, 1 (90th); Solomon, 2; Sons of Korah, 11; Asaph, 12, Heman, 1 (88th); Ethan, 1 (89th); Hezekiah, 10. (J. Vernon McGee, Outline of Psalms)
“The collection of 150 individual psalms is organized into five books. Psalms is not a continuous, chronologically arranged story like we find in the historical books. Unlike prophecy, Psalms has no continuing message developed chronologically or thematically. And unlike epistles (letter), Psalms has no continuous unifying teaching or train of thought throughout the book. The book is an anthology–a collection of 150 different prayers, praises, or songs.
Each psalm is a unit of expression, composed during a moment of need or desire. Each has a unique purpose, although many can be grouped in categories, like the psalms of ascents.
As you study the psalms, remember that they are poems. Hebrew poetry does not contain rhyme and meter like much English poetry. Instead, Hebrew poetry’s distinctive feature is parallelism of some form–one line relates to another in various ways. Usually the poetic lines are composed of two (sometimes three) segments in which the second segment repeats, contrasts, or completes the first. Psalms vary in design. Some are acrostics, with each verse or stanza beginning with the next letter from the Hebrew alphabet. (Praising God through Prayer and Worship, Kay Arthur, Pete DeLacy, Harvest House 2008)
