How to Read the Psalms--12 Tips to Understanding Accurately
In order to speak the psalms to one another well, we need to first read them well. Unfortunately, we have taken great liberty with the psalms to pick and choose portions and read them out of context so that they do not say what they really mean.
Solid and accurate reading of Scripture takes time and effort, but the fruit of our labors in this regard are so worth it. Here are ten keys to help you read the psalms thoughtfully and accurately before you speak them.
1. Read them for the ancient reader first, not contemporary.
We often try to explain “what it means to me” before we understand what it meant to the original readers. While we would never consider taking mail addressed to another person as our own, we take great liberties with the Bible. This is true for any piece of Scripture, but especially so for the psalms.
Read in light of the original recipients.
2. Read it as a whole unit, not just your favorite lines.
Not only do we want to understand it in light of it’s original audience, we need to read a psalm in its entirety, not just our favorite verses. I remember singing particular lines in worship choruses only to find out later that when I read the whole psalm, that was not what it was saying.
Read the psalm in context.
3. Read in light of whole book of Psalms.
Not only do we need to contextually read each verse, we need to recognize that each psalm is placed in a particular book within it. The psalms are arranged in five books, with an introduction (Pss. 1-2) and conclusion (Pss. 146-150). Recognizing that it is not a chronological collection, and certainly not a random one, but one that depicts the journey from lament to praise helps us understand each individual psalm in light of that whole. However, we often yank a psalm out as if it stands alone.
Read the psalm in light of its placement in the entire psalter.
4. Read the psalm in light of the entire Bible story.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, we need to also remember to read the psalm recognizing that the Psalms is not just one type of wisdom literature in the Bible, but that it plays a role in the entire Bible story: creation, exodus, kingdom, exile, resurrection hope. When we remember that, we will begin to see all of the Bible’s main storyline, though sometimes in seed form. This protects us from jumping to false conclusions as well.
Read the psalm in light of the entire Bible’s redemptive historical storyline.
5. Read for detail.
While the first four suggestions seek to place the psalm in its broader context, it is also important to read the psalm’s detail. I recommend reading and studying the psalm in its entirety at least three times. Read the psalm straight through without stopping, with the goal of understanding what type of psalm it is, its general mood and shifts, and the broader topic, theme, or focus. I also look for the general structure—does it “move” somewhere?
The second reading is slower. Here I go through verse by verse and seek to understand the details like structure, grammar. I’ll describe more of these in the next post.
After I am done studying, I like to read it through one more time, keeping the details in mind and fitting them back into the larger framework for a richer understanding.
Read for broad strokes and details.
6. Read them out loud.
There is something about reading out loud that allows you to experience the psalm as the early people did. Because they were read in corporate worship, they received it through their ears. You may wish to use a Bible app to listen to it read aloud to you or you can read it aloud yourself. This second method allows you to put emotion into your reading as well.
Read by listening to the psalm.
7. Read theologically.
Though the psalms are a book for corporate worship and prayer, it is not a mere emotional response. Every important theological truth is present in the psalms, even if it is only in seed form: the nature of God, creation, sin, redemption, justification, sanctification, adoption, nations, and many more. As you read for detail, look for these theological truths.
Read with an eye to the psalm’s theology.
8. Read Christologically.
This is a new idea for me, and I would direct you to Christopher Ash’s two-volume Teaching Psalms for reference. There, I learned that though this is an Old Testament book that predates Christ, it nonetheless foreshadows Him throughout (Luke 24:27 would include the psalms as part of the Scriptures Jesus shared with the men on the Emmaus road). Jesus knew the psalms well and probably prayed them Himself.
Read to see Christ or as He might read it.
9. Read consistently and with perseverance.
Just as with any new genre, it takes time to learn how to read it. One thing I did was immerse myself in this language by carving out time to just focus on reading psalms. This consistency and perseverance helped me to recognize the patterns, imagery, and themes more quickly, not just in the psalm I was studying but in all the other psalms as well.
There are several ways you can do this:
Read one psalm a day, six days of the week. This will take you six months. If you go through it twice, you can read the entire book of Psalms twice in a year.
Read five psalms a day for one month (e.g. Psalms 1-5, 6-10, etc.)
Read the five “psalms of the day” for a month (an idea I learned from Donald Whitney). On the first of the month, you’d read Psalm 1, 31, 61, 91, 101; on the second day, read Psalms 2, 32, 62, 92, 102, etc. Save Psalm 119 for the 31st day if you This way, you will have some variety, but you’ll need to do a little extra thinking to remember which book (see tip 3) it’s in for context.
Read thirty psalms a day in one week.
Read the entire book of psalms as a concentrated unit.
10. Read devotionally, with your heart.
Solid Bible study is not a mere mental exercise; it is meant to help us understand it deeply so we can apply it accurately. After I study a psalm, I take some time to step back and let the Holy Spirit use the psalm to search my heart for any grievous ways (Ps. 139:23-24). At other times, I focus and meditate on the truth of God revealed in that psalm and consider how knowing this truth might affect how I respond to a particular situation in my life.
Read with your heart open to the Spirit’s guidance and inspiration.
11. Read prayerfully.
Many psalms, like David’s, were expressions of faith in the midst of difficulty or in response to sin. After we have studied the psalm, we can use it as a template to guide our own prayers—for ourselves, others, and the world around us. When we understand the psalm’s structure, we can use it to guide our own hearts in our conversations with God.
Read in order to pray more thoughtfully.
12. Read with others, sing and pray together.
While the psalms may have started out as individual psalms, these were the cream of the crop that were curated into the nation’s hymnbook, used in temple worship as a corporate people. Not surprisingly, there are many psalms that have been turned into song (though be careful—a catchy tune can mask a psalm’s true message). Sharing and singing these songs together can be a wonderful way to minister to one another.
Read in order to share, encourage, and challenge other believers.
These are the guidelines I use in my own study of the psalms. Which of these suggestions can you use today?
Further resources:
The Bible Project has an excellent video I review often to help see the structure of the entire book of Psalms.
The ESV’s introduction to the psalms helps provide historical and literal context on the book of Psalms. David Schrock’s blog post, particularly point number 2, has also been helpful in this regard.
The Gospel Coalition offers two free courses you can use: Introducing the Psalms and Knowing the Bible: Psalms.
Posts in this series:
Part 1: Speaking the Psalms
Part 2: Reading the Psalms [you are here]
Part 3: Studying the Psalms
Part 4: Praying the Psalms
