Psalm
A psalm is a poetic religious text, above all one of the 150 poems, songs and prayers in the Book of Psalms of the Bible. In music the word also means a musical setting of a psalm. On a sheet of music there may then be only the source of the text, for example “Psalm 84”.
- Meaning 1
- religious text, above all from the Book of Psalms
- Meaning 2
- musical setting of a psalm text; often only a few verses are used
- Number
- 150 in the Book of Psalms; the numbering differs between Bible editions
- Word origin
- Greek psalmós, literally the plucking of strings, from psállein
The text and its musical setting
The word comes from Greek: “psalmós” belongs to “psállein”, the plucking of strings. It meant a song with string accompaniment. Today the word is used above all for the 150 poems, songs and prayers of the Book of Psalms, which are often used in worship in Judaism and Christianity. The psalms have been set to music many times. Often only a selection of verses serves as the basis of a whole work. So “psalm” on a sheet of music means two things: the text the piece draws on, and the musical setting itself.
Two voices, the second enters later
The upper voice begins alone. The lower voice rests for a whole bar and the first two beats of the second bar, and then enters on the third beat. In the psalm setting from the archive, too, the voices enter one after another; the notes here are a simple example of our own.
Listen to the line: the second voice comes in only after six beats. The piece from the archive is built up in the same way, voice by voice.
Numbering: Psalm 84 or Psalm 83?
The psalms are identified by a running number. Because the Hebrew and the Greek Bible join or split some psalms, the numbers between Psalm 9 and Psalm 147 do not agree. The Hebrew numbering is used in the Jewish and Protestant traditions; the Greek numbering in the Vulgate and the liturgical books based on it.
| Hebrew numbering (Masoretic text) | Greek numbering (Septuagint, Vulgate) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Psalms 1–8 | Psalms 1–8 | the same |
| Psalms 9–10 | Psalm 9 | two psalms are joined into one |
| Psalms 11–113 | Psalms 10–112 | the Hebrew number is 1 higher |
| Psalms 114–115 | Psalm 113 | two psalms are joined into one |
| Psalm 116 | Psalms 114–115 | one psalm is split in two |
| Psalms 117–146 | Psalms 116–145 | the Hebrew number is 1 higher |
| Psalm 147 | Psalms 146–147 | one psalm is split in two |
| Psalms 148–150 | Psalms 148–150 | the same |
So Psalm 84 in the Hebrew numbering is Psalm 83 in the Greek numbering and the Vulgate. If a piece carries only a number above it, the numbering can therefore matter.
Psalm in the sheet music archive
In the archive only a single sheet names a psalm as the source of its text. The note is not in the title but a small line above the first staff. The piece is in five parts and has two alto parts.
Psalm setting
-
O How Amiable Are Thy Dwellings Thomas Weelkes · choir arrangement SATB, five parts · 4 pages
At the top left, above the first staff, is the source of the text: Psalm 84, verses 1, 2 and 13. Five staves (Soprano, Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor, Bass), three ♭, time signature C, 57 bars. The voices enter one after another: tenor in bar 1, Alto 2 in bar 2, Soprano in bar 3, Alto 1 in bar 4, Bass in bar 5. The piece ends in bar 57 with a fermata.
From the notation alone you cannot tell that it is a psalm; only the text note says so. The notes show the scoring and the structure: five lines that enter one after another and come together on a fermata at the end.
Common mistakes
- Taking the text note for the title: “Psalm 84” above the staff names the source of the text, not the name of the piece.
- Assuming the psalm number is the same in every Bible: Between Psalm 9 and 147 the Hebrew and Greek numbering differ.
- Taking a setting for the whole psalm: Often only a few verses are set.
Continue on Maikstrings
Related terms
ChoirChoraleVoice / partPolyphonicCanonA cappellaFermata
Editor: Maik Krohm · reviewed on 3 October 2026
← Back to the glossary