What are the different types of psalms?

The Psalms themselves are either commemorative or prophetic, or expressive of the present passage of the soul. They have all the variety of confession, supplication, and praise; of doctrine, history, and prophecy.

And these things give us different characters in the Psalms. In some of them we hear the breathings of a convicted conscience, a heart exercised in thoughts of transgression, searching after God again, and from thence rising into a blessed sense of grace and salvation. In others we hear the sorrows of conscious righteousness suffering the reproach of the wicked, but knowing all the while its title to fulness of joy and strength in God.

I think we shall find all through the Psalms two classes: one, the faith which looks to God and trusts Him, and pleads for an answer in righteousness; and the other, the cry out of distress and in distress of heart under it, though the principle of faith be in the cry. I remember attributing the former more to Christ, the latter to the remnant. Now in the spirit and character of them this is true; but the exclusive distribution to one or the other is wrong. They are all the remnant, only in two different aspects, and one more fully and directly the Spirit of Christ, though in Gethsemane He did cry in distress to God.

Having established that the Psalms are a prophetic book we can ask whose feelings in particular they record. In reading them we will discover four main characters or groups of characters:

Many of the Psalms give expression to the feelings of Christ in His sufferings (see, for instance, Psalms 22 and 69). Numerous verses in the Psalms provide excellent material to stimulate meditation and for Christian worship. However, the Psalms are prophetic. For the most part they give expression to the feelings of faithful Jews during the tribulation period (generally known as ‘the remnant'). These faithful believers are not Christians and do not know the Christian position (Q.19): the knowledge of God as Father, assurance of sins forgiven, etc. They are still under the wrath of God and they legitimately pray to God that He might save them out of their troubles by destroying their enemies (hence the term ‘imprecatory' psalms). This is why many Psalms – valuable as they are – do not lend themselves to give expression to Christian worship.

The structure resembles that of the first book, the Messianic psalms being found in the first and third subdivisions, the second being devoted to psalms of experience, which are not however, excluded from the other parts.

Among the authors of the Psalms, David, of course, figures largely; but Moses, Asaph, Heman, and Ethan also appear, and it may be Solomon as the writer of Ps. 72 and 127. Then, as to the circumstances which gave rise to many of the compositions, all so described are attributed to the history of David, — Ps. 102 alone excepted. But whether the different headings can be depended upon, that of Ps. 18 excepted, is a matter on which there is not agreement, though they must have been inserted very early, being found in the Greek Septuagint version. In that version, however, there are headings to other Psalms which have no authority from the Hebrew text. Then of instruments of music we have mention, both wind and stringed instruments being pressed into the service of God. Ps. 4 tells of the latter, and Ps. 5 speaks of the former. And tunes, it would seem, well known in those days, we read of, to which certain Psalms were to be set, such as Al-taschith "destroy not," Ps. 57, 58, 59, 75. The character also of the different compositions are noticed, as Psalms; songs also, as Ps. 30, 45, 46, etc.; prayers, as Ps. 17, 86, 90, 102, 142; and praise, as Ps. 145. Some, too, are distinguished by the Hebrew term Michtam, Ps. 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, an addition, as we see at times, to the designation of "a song"; others are described as Maschil (see Ps. 32; 42, 44, 45, etc.). Into all this, however, it would be foreign to our purpose here to enter. So closing these prefatory remarks, which remind us of the varied character of the compositions, we invite our readers to examine with us the order of the Psalms in detail.

The Psalms — the experiences of the godly in Israel, and of Christ, in view of the varied sufferings at the hand of man and of God, with the outlook toward the future kingdom.

The Psalms* are mentioned in connection with praise in the New Testament (Col. 3:16; James 5:13). The Church from the very start has used them in public and private devotion. All branches of Christendom use them today; Protestantism, Romish and Greek Catholicism make use of them in responsive reading or chanting. And even more so are they used and have always been used by individuals, because the heart finds in these songs and prayers, the different experiences of human life, and the different emotions. The sufferer steeped in sorrow finds in this book the experiences of suffering and sorrow; he finds more than that, encouragement to trust God and the assurance of deliverance. The penitent soul finds that which suits a broken and contrite heart. The lonely one, helpless and forsaken, reads of others who passed through the same experience. Then there is comfort, joy and peace, as well as hope. They stimulate faith and confidence in the Lord and are breathing a spirit of worship and praise which produce reverence and praise in the heart of the believer.

*Note: i.e. psalms generically (=hymns, songs of praise). See commentaries on these passages. (biblecentre)

The phrase, "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," indicates that the compositions known and sung by the assembly at the beginning were varied in character, though of course of equal value in expressing the mind of the saints at different times. It is however difficult to exactly determine the definition of each term or even to point out its salient features. A psalm may have been an elevated address or invocation to God: a hymn welled up in praise and thanksgiving, while a song would be based on an intelligent apprehension of the mind of God, and possibly partook more of a didactic character, as well as introduced practical experience in the ways of God. However that may be, it is certain that the Spirit led the saints into the expression of the various emotions of their hearts Godward by psalm, hymn, or song, as was most suited.