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The Playlist of Faith - A Series on Psalms - Psalms of Praise

  • Writer: Grant Watts
    Grant Watts
  • Oct 5
  • 3 min read

Nehemiah

Psalms Of Praise


The praise and thanksgiving psalms, sometimes grouped as Hymns of Praise (general praise) and Thanksgiving Psalms (praise for a specific act of deliverance or blessing), are central to the Psalter.

 

I. Structural and Literary Questions

  1. Distinguish the Genres: 

    • What are the key differences in structure and focus between a general Hymn of Praise (e.g., Psalm 100 or 145) and a Thanksgiving Psalm (e.g., Psalm 30 or 116)?

    • How can you tell one from the other?

  2. Analyse the Elements: Thanksgiving Psalms often follow a pattern: an introductory resolution to praise, a recounting of past distress, a description of God's deliverance, and a concluding vow of praise/exhortation to others.

    • Identify these elements in a specific psalm (e.g., Psalm 116).

  3. The Call to Worship: Many praise psalms begin with a call to worship (e.g., "Praise the Lord!").

    • To whom is this call addressed (the psalmist, the community, all the earth, creation itself)?

    • What is the effect of this opening command?

  4. Recounting God's Deeds: 

    • How do these psalms use the literary device of recounting history or past acts of God (e.g., Psalm 105, 107) to form the foundation for present praise?

 

II. Thematic and Theological Questions

  1. The Hesed Theme: The Hebrew word hesed is often translated as "steadfast love," "loving kindness," or "mercy." 

    • How central is hesed to the praise in these psalms (e.g., Psalm 136)? Why is this quality of God so often cited as the reason for praise?

  2. The Nature of God: 

    • What attributes or actions of God are most frequently praised in these psalms (e.g., creator, deliverer, forgiver, king, judge)?

    • How does this collection present a comprehensive view of God's character?

  3. Worship as Testimony: 

    • Why is the public declaration of God's saving acts so important in the Thanksgiving Psalms?

    • How does the psalmist's personal experience of deliverance become a communal invitation to worship?

  4. Praise and Suffering: While these are psalms of joy, they often follow or mention previous times of distress (sometimes the context of the lament psalms).

    • How do they demonstrate that praise is not just a reaction to good times, but a response to God's faithfulness through all circumstances?

  5. The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving: Psalm 50:23 states, "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me."

    • What is the meaning of a "sacrifice of thanksgiving" (todah) in these psalms?

    • How does this concept elevate verbal praise over animal offerings?

 

III. Application and Reflection Questions

  1. Personal and Communal Praise: 

    • How can the structural elements and themes of the praise and thanksgiving psalms be used to enrich your personal prayer and worship?

  2. Praise in Hardship: Select a passage (e.g., Psalm 40:1-3 or 118:5-7) that describes the movement from distress to deliverance.

    • How can you apply this pattern of faith and praise to a current difficulty or challenge in your own life?

  3. Call to Action: Many of these psalms include an exhortation for the audience to "tell of His deeds" or "give thanks."

    • What are practical ways a faith community or individual can fulfill this call to proclamation today?

  4. A World-Wide Focus: Some psalms invite "all the earth" or "all nations" to praise God (e.g., Psalm 67, 117).

    • What does this reveal about the universal scope of God's plan and the ultimate purpose of Israel's praise?

 

 
 
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