The Psalter is arranged into five books, each closing with a doxology and benediction. Hebrew tradition says these five books correspond to the five books of Moses.
Book I of the Psalter (Psalms 1-41) celebrates Israel’s golden age during the time of the united monarchy. The book opens with a prayer that the king will extend the rule of God to the ends of the earth (Psalm 2). All the Psalms in Book I are attributed to David except Psalms 1, 2, and 33. Laments in this book always conclude with praise.
Book I is very similar to Book II in its tone and topics, and they are often treated as one. The one major difference between the two is that Book I overwhelmingly uses the Hebrew word Yahweh to refer to God while Book II prefers the word Elohim.
Text adapted from 150 Questions about the Psalter by Bradley Johnston.
