by Professor Changhak Hyeon
Theological Review, Vol. 37, No. 1 (2019), pp. 267–290
In a paper published in the June 2017 issue of Theological Review, the author provided a general introduction to the character of the Psalms and then offered an overview of the different prayer genres within the Psalms. The Psalms as a whole (as prayers) can be categorized into roughly seven genres: lament (declarative praise), praise (descriptive praise), trust, remembrance, royal, and wisdom psalms. Israel used these genres to pray to God, and these prayers were collected into a hymnbook for worship, praising God.
This paper seeks to provide a more detailed analysis of the main genres of Psalms—lament, thanksgiving, and praise—that were only briefly surveyed in the previous article. The minor genres—trust, remembrance, royal, and wisdom psalms—do not have a fixed structural form and are often related to the main genres in various ways, so a separate analysis is deemed unnecessary.
In analyzing the principal prayer genres, this study will also consider their significance in Israel’s prayers and in the prayers of contemporary Christians. An analysis of the main prayer genres helps to provide a systematic understanding of the Psalms as a whole and guides the accurate exegesis of individual psalms. Understanding the prayer genres is a prerequisite for sound and rich interpretation of the Psalms. It serves as a valuable guide to correctly grasp the Psalms and to fully receive the deep, rich, and diverse spiritual impact they offer. The analysis will proceed in the order of lament, thanksgiving (declarative praise), and praise (descriptive praise).
