psalm
Americannoun
-
a sacred song or hymn.
-
(initial capital letter) any of the songs, hymns, or prayers contained in the Book of Psalms.
-
a metric version or paraphrase of any of these.
-
a poem of a similar nature.
noun
-
(often capital) any of the 150 sacred songs, lyric poems, and prayers that together constitute a book (Psalms) of the Old Testament
-
a musical setting of one of these poems
-
any sacred song or hymn
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of psalm
before 900; Middle English psalm ( e ), s ( e ) alm ( e ), psame, Old English ps ( e ) alm, sealm < Late Latin psalmus < Greek psalmós song sung to the harp, originally, a plucking, as of strings, akin to psállein to pluck, pull, play (the harp)
Explanation
A psalm is a religious song in the Bible. While you can read psalms as prayers, they are meant to be sung. The Book of Psalms is a section of the Christian Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible that includes 150 individual psalms. The word psalm, which is pronounced with a silent p, comes from the Greek word psalmos, "song sung to a harp," and its root, psallein, "play a stringed instrument." While they're not often backed by a harp these days, psalms are frequently sung with musical accompaniment in churches and temples.
Vocabulary lists containing psalm
"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Passover Vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Queen of the Sea
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He woke up before 3 a.m. the day of the verdict and read the 23rd Psalm, translating it from Hebrew, which begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026
However, Kardashian reportedly paid $23 million to retain the home after their 2022 split, and she has continued to live there with their four children—North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 29, 2025
The dessert’s colors and exuberance took inspiration from the playful, acid-dream paintings of Angeleno artist Isaac Psalm Escoto, also known as Sickid, for whom the cake was made.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2025
An earlier post quoted a Psalm from the Bible: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”
From New York Times • Mar. 18, 2024
Afterward I always felt guilty and recited the Repentance Psalm: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies.”
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
