Psalms, book of

An Old Testament book of 150 songs containing prayers and praise to God. David wrote many of the psalms. The psalms had their greatest use as a hymnbook when the Jewish people returned from exile in Babylon and rebuilt the temple. The psalms were divided into five sections: Book 1 (Psalms 1–41); Book 2 (Psalms 42–72); Book 3 (Psalms 73–89); Book 4 (Psalms 90–106); and Book 5 (Psalms 107–150). Some of the psalms are called Messianic psalms because they describe the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Messianic psalms are Psalms 2, 22, 72, and 110. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He quoted Psalm 22:1.

The hymn Jesus sang with the disciples at the end of the Last Supper was probably from Psalms 113–118. Paul and Silas sang hymns when they were in jail. Christians are told to sing hymns to encourage each other as well as to praise God.