psalm

American  

[sahm] / sɑm /

noun

• psalms
  plural

1. a sacred song or hymn.

2. (initial capital letter) any of the songs, hymns, or prayers contained in the Book of Psalms.

3. a metric version or paraphrase of any of these.

4. a poem of a similar nature.

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psalm British  

/ sɑːm /

noun

1. (often capital) any of the 150 sacred songs, lyric poems, and prayers that together constitute a book (Psalms) of the Old Testament

2. a musical setting of one of these poems

3. any sacred song or hymn

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• psalmic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• psalms
  plural

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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)

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

psalm psalms

“O Lord, how manifold are thy works!,” cried out David in his psalm.

From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2023

Just as May’s coronation ceremony gave nods to the multicultural nature of Britain today, Wednesday’s church service will include a psalm sung in Gaelic.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 4, 2023

At Ansche Chesed, a Conservative synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky has replaced the standard prayer for the State of Israel with a more spiritual psalm invoking peace in Jerusalem.

From New York Times ● Apr. 20, 2023

Helbrans had taught at a Hasidic school in his native Israel before he started Lev Tahor in the 1980s, taking the name — which means “pure heart” — from a psalm.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2023

Then he breaks into a song, borrowed from a psalm, a tune so sad tears come to all of our eyes.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

During a return trip to Pokrovskoe he set up a chapel in the cellar of his stable, attracting pilgrims to pray and sing psalms with him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

“There are only a few psalms where he’s like, ‘Thank God, my life is good.’

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2025

Volunteers, once hard to find, have been packing donations, gathering daily to recite psalms and fundraising for Israel - “coming together like you would for your family.”

From Washington Times ● Dec. 6, 2023

Setting sail in 1577, he pushed across the Atlantic to Brazil, bellowing psalms into the wind and dining to airs played on viols.

From New York Times ● Mar. 10, 2021

Papa read from the psalms before saying the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be, and the Apostles Creed.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Related Words

• hymn
• verse

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