ADDENDUM TO PSALMS
Titles for the Psalms

First, we should be reminded that on all but 47 of the 150 psalms there is already a title as part of the inspired text, indicating at least authorship and sometimes the occasion of writing, use to which psalm will be put, musical directions, etc.  Thus, we must be careful to severely distinguish any human addition, such as given below.

At the same time, except for a few of the better known psalms, the average reader finds it difficult to remember the theme of psalms as he comes to them in his Bible.  This is particularly true because David was often in trouble and/or danger and cried out to God for deliverance.  Longings for holiness, praise and thanksgiving, the vindication of God's ways with men, and similar themes are oft repeated.  Thus, general titles are of little value, for they would have to be repeated so often that they would offer no distinctive thought for the particular psalm.  The matter is further complicated by the fact that some psalms run the whole gamut of themes.

Hence, at best, some titles must of necessity be an expediency.  Except for some of the psalms with rather obvious themes, the method adopted here is to choose some outstanding verse in the psalm, especially if it is well know or, lacking this, to choose some verse(s) in the psalm as a peg on which to hang our identification of the psalm or its distinction from those around it.  It is recognized that many might choose another title for a given psalm and indeed I have often come at the same psalm from different angles, leading to different titles.  Also, sometimes, as in the case of Psalm 8, I try to get at the most apt wording of the title of an important psalm by considering refinements of alternate wordings.

Thus, these are offered simply as undogmatic helps to fellow students.  "I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful." (1 Cor. 7:25)

If any of these titles approve themselves to you, you may wish to record them neatly right in your Bible over the particular psalm(s) involved, since they will be of little value stuffed away in a notebook.  Because the psalms are in constant use for personal devotions and public exposition, it will be handy to have a suggestion right there in your Bible.  The student is referred to the New Scofield Bible, which no adds suggested titles.  If any similarity is noticed, it is valid, for the sub-committee adopted some of these which I turned in.

 

BOOK I, Psalms 1-41 (Messianic Psalms marked in RED)
Psalm 1	(1) The Lord Jesus as man (first coming) (2) Two men, two ways, two destinies
Psalm 2	(1) The Lord Jesus as God (second coming) (2) Christ, the victorious coming King
Psalm 3	A morning psalm (v. 5)
Psalm 4	An evening psalm (v.8)
Psalm 5	Morning prayer for protection (vv. 3, 11)
Psalm 6	David prays in soul distress (vv. 3, 6)
Psalm 7	A prayer to a righteous God (v. 9)
Psalm 8	(1) God's dominion shared with man (2) God's glory and man's privilege (3) God's plan for man's dominion (4) God gives man dominion over the earth
Psalm 9	Praise for victory over enemies (v. 9)
Psalm 10	Plea for God's judgment (v. 12)
Psalm 11	Taking refuge in God (v. 1)
Psalm 12	The scourge of lying lips (v. 2; cp. Isa. 54:17)
Psalm 13	The testing of delay
Psalm 14	A picture of the natural man (cp. Ps. 53; Rom. 3:10-12)
Psalm 15	The man who abides with God
Psalm 16	The path of life and joy
Psalm 17	Kept as the apple of God's eye! (v. 8)
Psalm 18	(1) Who is a God like Thee? (2) The delivering God praised
Psalm 19	(1) The works and Word of God (2) God's message in nature and Scripture
Psalm 20	Help from the sanctuary (v. 2)
Psalm 21	Blessings from God
Psalm 22	The suffering Saviour
Psalm 23	The tender Shepherd
Psalm 24	The triumphant, Ascended Lord (vv. 3, 7; cp. Ps. 68:18)
Psalm 25	Plea for defense, guidance, pardon
Psalm 26	David's integrity (v. 11)
Psalm 27	Triumphant faith (v. 1)
Psalm 28	Testimony to answered prayer (v. 6)
Psalm 29	God's mighty power
Psalm 30	God's deliverance celebrated
Psalm 31	"My times are in Thy hand!" (v. 15)
Psalm 32	Joy following confession of sin
Psalm 33	God our Creator and Preserver
Psalm 34	The children's psalm (v. 11)
Psalm 35	David's prayer against the wicked
Psalm 36	God's excellent mercy (v. 7)
Psalm 37	(1) A song of security (2) An alphabet of trust (an incomplete acrostic)
Psalm 38	Godly sorrow for sin
Psalm 39	(1) The frailty of man (vv. 4-5) (2) The brevity of life (vv. 4-5)
Psalm 40	God's song for our mouths (v. 3)
Psalm 41	God's help in illness (v. 3)
BOOK II, Psalms 42-72
Psalm 42	Longing for God and His house (vv. 1, 4)
Psalm 43	Our hope is in God (v. 5)
Psalm 44	God's apparent forgetfulness (v. 24)
Psalm 45	Christ, our glorious King
Psalm 46	God, our refuge and strength
Psalm 47	"God is King of all the earth" (v. 7)
Psalm 48	"Zion, city of the great King" (v. 2)
Psalm 49	Riches cannot redeem men (v. 7)
Psalm 50	God is judge of all (v. 6)
Psalm 51	A  great penitential psalm
Psalm 52	Victory over lying tongues
Psalm 53	A description of the wicked (cp. Ps. 14)
Psalm 54	Deliverance from ruthless men
Psalm 55	complaint concerning false friends (vv. 12-14)
Psalm 56	Our tears remembered by God (v. 8)
Psalm 57	God trusted in trouble
Psalm 58	Prayer for God's vengeance (v. 6)
Psalm 59	The help of the helpless
Psalm 60	Man's help is vain (v. 11)
Psalm 61	The Rock higher than I (v. 2)
Psalm 62	Waiting upon God
Psalm 63	Thirst for God
Psalm 64	God's protection
Psalm 65	God's abundant provision
Psalm 66	Praise for God's benefits (v. 16)
Psalm 67	A missionary psalm (v. 2)
Psalm 68	Song of triumph and glory (cp. v. 18 and Ps. 24:3, 7-10)
Psalm 69	Plaint of the reproached one (v. 9)
Psalm 70	The poor and needy one (v. 5)
Psalm 71	a prayer for old age (vv. 9, 18)
Psalm 72	Christ's glorious millennial kingdom
BOOK III, Psalms 73-89
Psalm 73	(1) Perennial problem of the wicked (vv. 12, 17) (2) Almost backslidden (v. 2)
Psalm 74	"Arise, O GOd, plead thy cause!" (v. 22) God's people at low ebb (v. 9)
Psalm 75	Ultimate triumph of righteous
Psalm 76	"The wrath of man shall praise Thee" (v. 10)
Psalm 77	God's mighty deeds remembered (v. 11)
Psalm 78	God's longsuffering at Israel's sin (v. 38)
Psalm 79	God's judgment on enemies implored (v. 6)
Psalm 80	"Turn us again, O God!"  (v. 3) (note the "Vine, " v. 8ff.; cp. Isa. 5; Jn 15)
Psalm 81	The stupidity of disobedience (vv. 11, 16)]
Psalm 82	Instruction to earthly rulers (Note this comment on v. 6; cp. Jn 10:34: "If mortal men were, dignified with 'the image and likeness of God.' called ' mighty or strong ones' (i.e., 'gods'), as partaking of the attributes of moral personality like God (i.e., ability to will, to determine, to choose, to know good and evil), how much more title did the Lord Jesus Christ have to be called the Son of GOd as, on the one hand being from all eternity God the Son, and as to His humanity, sinlessly conceived of the Holy Spirit in the virgin's womb.")
Psalm 83	Prayer against plotting enemies
Psalm 84	Delight in the courts of God
Psalm 85	The exiles returned by God
Psalm 86	"There is none like Thee!"  (v. 8)
Psalm 87	Zion, the city of God (v. 3)
Psalm 88	Lament over affliction
Psalm 89	The Davidic covenant rehearsed
BOOK IV, Psalms 90-106
Psalm 90	Children of dust (v. 10)
Psalm 91	In the secret place
Psalm 92	The propriety of praise
Psalm 93	The majesty of God
Psalm 94	Vengeance belongs to God
Psalm 95	Exhortation to worship
Psalm 96	God's greatness and glory
Psalm 97	The righteous LORD reigns
Psalm 98	Praise to Jehovah
Psalm 99	"The LORD our God is holy!" (v. 5)
Psalm 100	Gladness and Thanksgiving
Psalm 101	A vow for a holy life (v. 2)
Psalm 102	Plea to the unchanging God (v. 27)
Psalm 103	"Bless the LORD!"
Psalm 104	The God of creation and providence
Psalm 105	God's faithfulness to Israel (v. 8)
Psalm 106	Israel's unfaithfulness to God (e.g., v. 24)
BOOK V, Psalms 107-150
Psalm 107	The diversity of God's provision
Psalm 108	(1) The fixed heart (2) The steady heart
Psalm 109	God's help implored
Psalm 110	The psalm of the king-priest
Psalm 111	God's wonderful works (v. 4)
Psalm 112	Blessings of righteousness
Psalm 113	God's universal praise (v. 3)
Psalm 114	God's almighty deliverance
Psalm 115	Contrast between idols and God
Psalm 116	Delivered from death! (v. 8)
Psalm 117	The shortest psalm; praise urged
Psalm 118	The loving kindness of God Christ the Headstone of the corner
Psalm 119	The longest psalm:  God's Word praised (a perfect acrostic; 8 verses to each of 22 letters of Hebrew alphabet)
Psalm 120	Inner conflict
Psalm 121	The traveler's psalm (v. 8)
Psalm 122	Joyful anticipation of Jerusalem
Psalm 123	Awaiting God's intervention (v. 2)
Psalm 124	God was on our side
Psalm 125	The LORD round about His own (v. 2)
Psalm 126	Like those that dreamed
Psalm 127	Children are God's heritage (v. 3)
Psalm 128	God's blessings on the home
Psalm 129	Israel sustained despite enemies
Psalm 130	Waiting for the morning
Psalm 131	Growing in grace
Psalm 132	David's concern for the ark
Psalm 133	blessed unity!
Psalm 134	Constant praise
Psalm 135	The true God contrasted with idols
Psalm 136	"His mercy endureth forever"
Psalm 137	Israel's sorrow in exile
Psalm 138	Answered prayer
Psalm 139	God's omniscience and omnipresence
Psalm 140	A cover over my head (v. 7)
Psalm 141	A guard before my mouth (v. 3)
Psalm 142	"No man cared for my soul" (v. 1)
Psalm 143	"In thy faithfulness answer me" (v.1)
Psalm 144	The happy people (v. 15)
Psalm 145	Let all praise Him (v. 21)
Psalm 146	God praised for His help (v. 5)
Psalm 147	God praised for gathering Israel
Psalm 148	God praised by all creation
Psalm 149	God praised by the children of Zion
Psalm 150	The crescendo of praise climaxed