If all the poetry of the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi were gathered together, it would be longer than the whole New Testament! Why is there so much poetry?

God's purpose in the Bible is much bigger than conveying factual information to us. Besides teaching us the truth, the Bible intends to arouse our emotions, to appeal to our wills and to stimulate our imaginations. Poetry is a perfect means for accomplishing all of these roles, since poetry appeals to the whole person (not just the intellect) in a way far surpassing prose.

What is Poetry?⤒🔗

Hebrew poetry is hard to define, but is usually easy to recognize. It is made up of short poetic phrases in repeated pairs ("parallelism"). The poems of the Bible also use many images or word pictures and are often terse. To be able to understand a large portion of the Old Testament, thus, we must know how parallelism and imagery work.

The book of Psalms is an example of biblical poetry. The psalmist bares his soul to us and thus reveals the state of our inner lives.

Types of Psalms←⤒🔗

There are Seven Main Types of Psalms←↰⤒🔗

1. Hymns of Joy. These are marked by exuberant praise of God. Examples: Psalms 48, 92, 98, 103, 150.

2. Laments. These are the cries of God's people when they feel lonely, oppressed and troubled. Examples: Psalms 3, 4, 22, 69, 83.

3. Thanksgivings. After God hears and answers the lament, the psalmist returns to the temple to offer thanks for answered prayer. Examples: Psalms 18, 30, 32; 34.

4. Psalms of remembrance. Many psalms recall God's gracious acts in the past, but some make this theme the main focus. Examples: Psalms 78, 105, 106, 136.

5. Psalms of confidence. Some psalms express trust and confidence in God even in the face of great sorrow. These psalms contain some of the most touching images in the whole Bible. Examples: Psalms 23, 91, 131.

6. Wisdom psalms. Wisdom in the Bible is an ability to apply God's truth to life's complexities, to the nitty-gritty of life. Examples: Psalms 1, 19, 45, 73, 119.

7. Kingship psalms. The king is the speaker in many psalms and the object of a number of others. A few concern the human king of Israel as in Psalm 20. A large number extol God as king of the universe. See Psalms 92-100.

Why Do Phrases Repeat?←⤒🔗

As you read Old Testament poetry, you get the feeling that the poet says the same thing at least twice:

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.Psalm 35:1

We got it the first time! Why is there so much repetition in Old Testament poetry?

This parallelism usually occurs in twos but can also come in threes (Psalm 29:3) or even fours (Psalm 29:4, 5).

Poetry is written compactly (it says a lot in a few words) in any language. To mine its riches, you must read it slowly and meditate on the words and on the relationship between lines. Reading the same thought in varied forms aids meditation:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.Psalm 1:1

With each line of this verse, the description of evil increases as the relationship moves from a casual walk to a fully established seat in the company of evil companions.

My heart is not proud. O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters.Psalm 131:1

David asserts his innocence in a progressive movement from line to line. He says that his attitude (heart), outward expression or demeanor (eyes) and actions are not proud. Usually, the first line is general and the second is more specific.