There are 150 chapters in the Book of Psalms. All of them are song psalms and each chapter is a separate piece of poetic beauty. These chapters are divided into five books: Psalms 1-30, 31-60, 61-80, 81-100 and 101-150.
There are 150 chapters in the Book of Psalms. There are also 9 chapters that are named for their opening verses. For example, Psalm 1 is the first chapter of the book and contains 2 verses.
How Many Chapters Are in The Psalms
The Book of Psalms is a rich and diverse collection of prayers and praises that have been used by believers for centuries. Each chapter offers a unique perspective on faith, trust, and devotion to God. Whether in times of joy or sorrow, the psalms continue to provide comfort and inspiration to those who seek solace in the words of Scripture.
These are all of the chapters of the book of Psalms. Clicking on a chapter will show you the text of that chapter of Psalms in the Bible (New International Version).
The Book of Psalms is one of the most beloved and widely read books of the Bible. It is a collection of 150 poems or songs that are attributed to various authors, including King David, Asaph, and the sons of Korah. These psalms cover a wide range of themes, including praise, lament, thanksgiving, and petition.
Here is a complete list of the chapters in the Book of Psalms:
Book 1 (Psalm 1-41)
Book 2 (Psalm 42-72)
Book 3 (Psalm 73-89)
Book 4 (Psalm 90-106)
Book 5 (Psalm 107-150)
- Psalm 107
- Psalm 108
- Psalm 109
- Psalm 110
- Psalm 111
- Psalm 112
- Psalm 113
- Psalm 114
- Psalm 115
Who Wrote the Book of Psalms?
Due to the frequent designation “A Psalm of David,” many Bible scholars and translations hold to the belief that David is the author of most of the Psalms. If the Hebrew phrasing present in these superscriptions refers to authorship, then we can easily identify several additional contributors, including Solomon, Asaph, and Moses. However, there is some debate about whether the superscriptions are declarations of authorship or dedications from an unknown author to the named individual. For example, Psalm 3 might be “A Psalm for David” rather than “A Psalm of David.” To add to the confusion, some scholars challenge the veracity of the superscriptions, and some of the Psalms (called “orphan psalms”) received no designation at all.
However, two of these “fatherless” Psalms (Psalm 2 and Psalm 95) are quoted in Acts and Hebrews and attributed to David:
“You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?’” (Acts 4:25).
“God again set a certain day, calling it ‘Today.’ This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 4:7).
While we can be sure that David played a role, it’s difficult to know with much certainty which of the Psalms he wrote besides these.
Context and Background of the Psalms
Psalms, Psalter (Greek), Tehillim (Hebrew word for “praises”)—whichever title we use, the meaning is essentially the same. These prayers and praises were written for the people of Israel.
David introduced the use of Psalms for temple praise in 1 Chronicles 16:7-36. And the kings of Israel who followed his reign continued to use the Psalms for holy days such as Passover (2 Chronicles 35:15) and for encouragement before battle (2 Chronicles 20:20-21).
After the Babylonian exile, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah carried the Psalms into the construction of the second temple and the restoration of Jerusalem (Ezra 3:10-11; Nehemiah 12:27-47).
This is a general overview encompassing all 150 Psalms. Each one surely has its own context and background, ranging from Psalm 90 (thought to be the oldest of the Psalms) which bears the name of Moses to Psalm 137 mourning the loss of Jerusalem after Babylon took the Israelites captive.
Main Theme and Purpose of the Psalms
Composed over several centuries by various authors, the Psalms are as varied in theme as they are in context. However, in spite of subtle variations, they can be rallied beneath a single banner: “Instruction in the godly life under the reign of God.”
Psalms such as 32, 78, and 142 are called maskil (or didactic—“wise”), perhaps referring to their teaching style and instructive purpose. Many of the Psalms are sincere prayers (Psalm 63, 51, and 139), offering insight and guidance in how we should pray. But the bulk of this poetic collection is a meditation on and proclamation of the greatness of God, His power, and how worthy He is of all we can offer Him.
What Can We Learn from the Psalms Today?
So many valuable things can be gleaned from one of the longest books in the Bible. The Psalms provide instruction and songs to lift our praise to God. But perhaps most importantly, as singer and songwriter, Matthew West points out, the Psalms help believers understand how their deepest and strongest emotions fit in a relationship with God.
Many believers today find themselves in churches where they are judged for displaying anything besides absolute peace and contentment—anger, fear, and even grief should be concealed behind a “brave face.” But then comes the question: if those more intimidating emotions are not appropriate to express, are they acceptable to feel? The psalmists experienced the full spectrum of human emotion and poured it all out to God with no restraint—words to flesh out the invisible and overwhelming. Dan B. Allender calls it “ruthless honesty [that] compels us to look beyond the surface of our tumult, deeper into our soul, where we expose our battle with God.”
Our Favorite Verses from Psalms
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:4,6)
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ ‘Because he loves me,’ says the LORD, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.’” (Psalm 91:1-2, 14-15)
“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” (Psalm 95:1-7)
“I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” (Psalm 119:32)
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
“The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:8-9, 14-16)
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:13-16)
How Many Chapters Does the Book of Psalms Have
The book of Psalms contains some of the most quoted verses in the entire Bible. Psalms flows with words of praise, prayers, and heartfelt thoughts about life and God. Emotions range widely from crying out to God while facing the depths of despair, to praying for His Sovereign help and protection, to celebrating His goodness with joy and thankfulness.
And maybe that’s one reason many of us love it so much, because that is real life. I can relate. Maybe you can too. Some days are just hard. We may wonder where God is when we’re facing the toughest of times or may struggle with feeling like we’ve been left on our own in the heat of hard circumstances. Other days we’re reminded of His constant goodness and care; His praise is evident through our lives.
The book of Psalms is packed with powerful verses to continually fill our hearts and minds by memorizing and meditating on them. They offer light and truth for our days. They help to encourage a close walk with God. They give us hope, comfort, and peace for even the most difficult of times. And they provide praises, songs, and faith-filled prayers. If you’ve never read through this entire book, or even if you’ve read it through many times, it’s always well worth our time to give focus and attention to these words of treasure and wisdom for our lives.
Facts about the Book of Psalms You May Not Have Known:
The book of Psalms was written and constructed as a book of Hebrew poetry, containing 150 chapters, making it the longest book in the entire Bible.
The root meaning of the word Psalms means “a melody of praise,” or “songs of praise,” and has been referred to as “the practice of singing to musical accompaniment or playing musical instruments.” The book of Psalms is like a hymnal written for worship services for God’s people.
It was written by more than seven authors, some of them unknown, and David was the author of at least 73 chapters.
It has the shortest and longest chapters of the entire Bible – Psalm 117 is the shortest and Psalm 119 is the longest.
Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the Bible and Psalm 118:8 is the exact middle verse. This is not only the center of the Bible, but also the central truth needed for our lives: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”
There are 594 chapters in the entire Bible before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters in the Bible after Psalm 118, once again pointing to what many believe is the center of the Bible – Psalm 118:8. (Though some scholars have disagreed on the exact middle verse of the Bible, depending on the version being discussed.)
The most popular Psalm and verses are from Chapter 23.
The entire book is divided into 5 sections – each paralleling the first 5 books of the Bible:
- Psalm 1-41: Written mainly by David, these first Psalms are reflective of the book of Genesis, written about the creation of man, the fall into sin, and the promise of redemption by God.
- Psalm 42-72: Written mainly by David and the sons of Korah. Who were they? The sons of Korah were essentially the sons of a rebel. But God still had great purpose for their family line. The prophet Samuel came from the line of Korah, and many of the descendants of Korah were mighty warriors with King David as well as worship leaders and doorkeepers of the tabernacle. These Psalms reflect the book of Exodus, how God rescued the nation of Israel and so rescues us even today.
- Psalm 73-89: Written mainly by a man named Asaph or his descendants, these chapters parallel the book of Leviticus. Many of these Psalms talk about God’s holiness, the tabernacle, God’s power and the truth that He is deserving of our worship.
“Many of our greatest and most well-known worship songs stem from the words found here.”
“Many of our greatest and most well-known worship songs stem from the words found here.”
- Psalm 90-106: Written mainly by unknown authors, these books point to the themes and truths of Numbers, where we see the relationship Israel has with other nations. In these chapters of Psalms, the relationship of God’s kingdom with the troubles we face on earth are given a similar perspective, making us aware of His sovereignty and power.
- Psalm 107-150: The last of the Psalms were mainly written by David, and are reflective of the book of Deuteronomy, giving voice to songs of praise and thanksgiving about God and His Word. Many of our greatest and most well-known worship songs stem from the words found here in these chapters – Psalm 108, 113, 118, 121, 136, 140, 145, 149, among many others.
Ways to read through the Psalms:
Read 1 Psalm a day over 5 months: Read consecutively through each chapter until you complete the entire book. This method gives time to devote to meditating on each scripture, studying words and verses more deeply, and memorization of verses and some key chapters. Write out the verses that are most meaningful to you in a journal or highlight in your Bible as you journey through.
Read 2 Psalms a day over 2 ½ months: Read consecutively through with 2 chapters per day or take a Psalm from the beginning and one from the end until you meet in the middle. For example, Day 1, read Psa. 1 and Psa. 150, for Day 2, read Psa. 2 and Psa. 149.
Read 5 Psalms a day in 30 days: Read 5 per day consecutively. Or another option many follow while reading through is to read a Psalm, skip 30, read another, skip 30, read another, until you’ve read 5 for that day. For example, Day 1, you’d read Psa. 1, Psa. 31, Psa. 61, Psa. 91, Psa. 121, and so on. This gives you a viewpoint of the many facets and truths expressed through the Psalms in just one day’s reading.