Pastor Steve Paulus

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature

Wisdom Psalms

5. Wisdom Psalms

A Psalm is a prayer put to music and sung by an individual or a congregation. Many of the songs of Israel have been collected into the book known as Psalms. It has been said that the Psalms are the prayer book of Israel and the Church. Psalms is one of the most oft read pieces of literature ever, and for many the most popular and comforting of the books of the Bible. A brief survey of current and past praise music and hymnals shows that Psalms continues to be the church’s hymnbook – the inspiration for our worship of God. As we shall see, there are different types of Psalms expressing prayer, teaching, prophecy, and praise.

There are various types of Psalms. For our purposes they can be divided into five forms:

Psalms of Praise: 146-150, 136, 101, and others.

Wisdom Psalms: 1, 49, 73

Messianic Psalms: 2, 22, 45, 55, 110

Lament (penitential): 32, 38, 51

Imprecatory: 35, 41, 69, 109, 137

Most of these types are self-explanatory if not always easy to recognize. One of the most difficult to understand for New Testament believers is the imprecatory psalm, or the curse. They seem to be below the theology of the New Testament of giving place to wrath, forgiving those who have sinned against us, and blessing those who curse us. One view is that these Psalms are a cry for God’s justice, and that many of these Psalms are prophetic of Jesus’ life and ministry. It is also proposed that these Psalms are an expression of the Old Testament ethic which ha been superceded by the teachings of Christ. In any case imprecatory Psalms are at times an enigma to New Testament believers.

Sources for Part 5

Gleason L. Archer. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction.

Chicago: Moody Press, 1974.

C. Hassell Bullock. An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books. Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1979, p. 113-151.

Keil and Delitsch. Old Testament Commentaries. Vols. III and IV. Grand Rapids: Associated Authors and Publishers.

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