Editing Psalms (section)

==Primary types==
[[Hermann Gunkel]]'s pioneering form-critical work on the psalms sought to provide a new and meaningful context in which to interpret individual psalms—not by looking at their literary context within the Psalter (which he did not see as significant), but by bringing together psalms of the same [[genre]] ({{lang|de|Gattung}}) from throughout the Psalter. Gunkel divided the psalms into five primary types:

===Hymns===
[[Hymn]]s are songs of praise for God's work in creation or history. They typically open with a call to praise, describe the motivation for praise, and conclude with a repetition of the call. Two sub-categories are "enthronement psalms" celebrating the enthronement of [[Yahweh]] as king, and "Zion psalms" glorifying Mount [[Zion]], God's dwelling-place in Jerusalem.{{sfn|Day|2003|pp=11–12}} Gunkel also described a special subset of "eschatological hymns" which includes themes of future restoration (Psalm 126) or of judgment (Psalm 82).{{sfn|Bray|1996|p=400}}

===Communal laments===
[[File:Schnorr von Carolsfeld Bibel in Bildern 1860 136.png|thumb|right|David is depicted giving a psalm to pray for deliverance in this 1860 woodcut by [[Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld]]]]
Communal laments are psalms in which the nation laments some communal disaster.{{sfn|Day|2003|p=12}} Both communal and individual laments typically but not always include the following elements:
# address to God,
# description of suffering,
# cursing of the party responsible for suffering,
# protestation of innocence or admission of guilt,
# petition for divine assistance,
# faith in God's receipt of prayer,
# anticipation of divine response, and
# a song of thanksgiving.<ref>Coogan, M. A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible in its Context. (Oxford University Press: Oxford 2009) p. 370</ref>{{sfn|Murphy|1993|p=627}}

In general, the individual and communal subtypes can be distinguished by the use of the singular "I" or the plural "we". However, the "I" could also be characterising an individual's personal experience that was reflective of the entire community.{{sfn|Bray|1996|p=416}}

===Royal psalms===
[[File:Schnorr von Carolsfeld Bibel in Bildern 1860 135.png|thumb|right|David is depicted giving a penitential psalm in this 1860 woodcut by [[Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld]]]]
[[Royal psalms]] deal with such matters as the king's coronation, marriage and battles.{{sfn|Day|2003|p=12}} None of them mentions any specific king by name, and their origin and use remain obscure;{{sfn|Berlin|Brettler|2004|p=1285, note to ps.2}} several psalms, especially Psalms 93–99, concern the kingship of God, and might relate to an annual ceremony in which Yahweh would be ritually reinstated as king.{{sfn|Kselman|2007|p=776}}

===Individual laments===
Individual laments are psalms lamenting the fate of the psalmist. By far the most common type of psalm, they typically open with an invocation of God, followed by the lament itself and pleas for help, and often ending with an expression of confidence.{{sfn|Day|2003|p=12}}

===Individual thanksgiving psalms===
In individual thanksgiving psalms, the opposite of individual laments, the psalmist thanks God for deliverance from personal distress.{{sfn|Day|2003|p=12}}

In addition to these five major genres, Gunkel also recognised a number of minor psalm-types, including:
* communal thanksgiving psalms, in which the whole nation thanks God for deliverance;
* wisdom psalms, reflecting the Old Testament [[wisdom literature]];
* pilgrimage psalms, sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem;
* entrance and prophetic liturgies; and
* a group of mixed psalms which could not be assigned to any category.{{sfn|Day|2003|p=13}}