What is a "Psalm"?
"The English name of the book comes to us from the Septuagint (Psalmos), via the Vulgate. The Greek word was used to translate the Hebrew word mizmor that comes fro the verbal root zamar ("to sing" or possibly "to pluck [an instrument]"), which connects the book with music. The Hebrew Title Tehillim means "praises" and highlights what is the dominant note...of the book." (p.211 An Introduction to the Old Testament, Dillard & Longman.)
Dillard & Longman note three main types of psalms: hymn, lament, and thanksgiving. Hymns praise Yahweh and invite others to join in that praise. Laments cry out to God, remembering Yahweh's past covenant mercies and promises, and offering a case for God to prove his faithfulness to save the psalmist from his present distress. Psalms of thanksgiving express thanks to God for answering his people's laments and proving himself faithful to his promises. The book of Psalms moves to conclude upon the note of thanksgiving in a crescendo of praises.
Other psalms have been classified according to shared dominant features (psalms of confidence, psalms of remembrance, wisdom psalms, kingship psalms). But it seems to me that the categorization of psalms is not an exact science. For instance, laments usually end in thanksgiving. Both hymns and laments often express confidence and remembrance.
Posted by Eric Pyle at March 20, 2004 1:21 PM