How to read the Psalms

The Psalms are the most-read book of the Bible, and for good reason. They cover the full range of human experience: joy and grief, praise and lament, trust and doubt, gratitude and rage. They teach us how to pray by giving us words when we have none.

This guide introduces the different types of psalms, suggests approaches for reading them, and shows how they can become the backbone of a daily spiritual practice.

Scholars identify several major types. Psalms of praise celebrate God’s character and deeds (Psalm 145, 150). Lament psalms cry out in pain and confusion (Psalm 22, 88). Thanksgiving psalms celebrate specific deliverances (Psalm 30, 116). Royal psalms concern the king (Psalm 2, 110). Wisdom psalms reflect on the moral order (Psalm 1, 119).

Knowing the type helps you read with the right expectations. A lament is not meant to resolve quickly. A praise psalm is not meant to be analytical. Each type has its own emotional and theological logic.

The church has read the Psalms daily for millennia. The monastic tradition of praying all 150 psalms each week shaped Western Christianity. Even without that rigour, reading one psalm each morning connects you to a tradition of prayer older than any denomination.

Read slowly. The Psalms are poetry, not prose. Pay attention to images: the Lord as shepherd, as rock, as fortress, as light. Let the metaphors work on your imagination. Memorise a few favourites. The Psalms are designed to be internalised, not just read.

Jesus quoted the Psalms more than any other book. His cry from the cross — "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" — is Psalm 22:1. The early church read the Psalms as prophetic of Christ: Psalm 110 ("The Lord said unto my Lord"), Psalm 16 ("Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell"), Psalm 2 ("Thou art my Son").

Reading the Psalms christologically does not replace reading them in their original context. It adds a layer. The psalmists spoke of their own experience; the church recognised in that experience a pattern that reached its fulfilment in Jesus. Both readings are legitimate and enriching.