by William Gaultiere, Ph.D., ChristianSoulCare.com

There are psalms for every type of situation, emotion, and need. Here are eight categories of psalms and some beloved psalms that fit in those categories. These psalms form a “School of Prayer,” teaching us the basic types of prayer. You can pray these psalms or use them as guides to write your own similar psalm:

1. Praise and Thanksgiving
   1. Psalm 92: Pray and play
   2. Psalm 95: Worship: thank, praise, revere, listen, obey
   3. Psalm 100: Thanksgiving leads to praise
   4. Psalm 107: Give thanks in consolations and desolations
   5. Psalm 136: Give thanks for the Lord is good; His love endures forever
   6. Psalm 103-107, 111-118, 134-139, 145-150: Hallelujah Psalms
2. Wisdom
   1. Psalm 1: Walk in the way of the righteous
   2. Psalm 19: Listen to God in creation and Scripture
   3. Psalm 119: Delight in God’s Law
   4. Psalm 121: Go on a pilgrimage with God
   5. Psalm 131: Practice simplicity and silence
   6. Psalm 133: Practice spiritual friendship
   7. Psalm 139: Practice self-examination
3. Confession and Forgiveness
   1. Psalm 32: Confess your sins and be blessed
   2. Psalm 38: In guilt and pain, cry out for your Savior’s help and answers
   3. Psalm 51: Confess your sin against God and be purified and restored
   4. Psalm 130: Wait for God’s forgiveness like a watchman waits for morning
4. Longing for God
   1. Psalm 27: Seek the Lord as your “One Thing” even in trials
   2. Psalm 42: In troubles, thirst deeply for the Living God
   3. Psalm 63: Hunger for God with all your soul
   4. Psalm 84: Yearn for the lovely courts of the Lord and invite others in
5. Comfort and Encouragement
   1. Psalm 16: Delight in God through circumstances (the path of life)
   2. Psalm 23: Grow with the Good Shepherd through your soul seasons
   3. Psalm 91: In danger, find refuge in God as a chick with a Mother Bird
6. Laments
   1. Psalm 6: Pour out your tears and questions to God
   2. Psalm 31: In distress, put your trust in God’s presence
   3. Psalm 64: When verbally attacked, hide in God and rely on His justice
   4. Psalm 102: In depression, cry out to God and recall His power and care
   5. Psalm 142: Cry and complain to God, and find that He’s your portion
   6. Psalm 143: In troubles, thirst for God’s unfailing love and will
7. Anger at Enemies
   1. Psalm 35: When mistreated, let the Lord be the one to fight for you
   2. Psalm 59: When slandered with lies, trust the Lord as your Defender
   3. Psalm 69: When being hated sinks you in mire, express your anger to God
   4. Psalm 109: When betrayed, state your anger to God and rely on His love
8. Complaints to God (Dark Night of the Soul)
   1. Psalm 13: When God’s face seems hidden, wrestle for His blessing
   2. Psalm 22: Praise God even when it seems that He’s left you
   3. Psalm 77: When you don’t sense God’s love, meditate on His goodness
   4. Psalm 88: When you’re in a dark pit and God seems angry, cry out to Him