History Literature / BookOfPsalms

* RapePillageAndBurn: In the type of psalms mentioned above, the psalmist mentions the destruction of enemy nations, including their civilians. One [[ValuesDissonance particularly jarring example]] is Psalm 137, mentioned above, where the psalmist approvingly mentions babies and pregnant women being killed in war.

* TraumaticCSection: One of the aforementioned "PrayerOfMalice" psalms gleefully mentions pregnant women of enemy nations being cut open and their fetuses getting pulled out and thrown against the rocks.

* WouldHurtAChild: Psalm 137:9, speaking about the children of Babylon in God's coming judgment against them.

* TraumaticCSection: One of the aforementioned "PrayerOfMalice" psalms gleefully mentions pregnant women of enemy nations being cut open and their fetuses getting pulled out and thrown against the rocks. ([[UsefulNotes/TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar Now considered a war crime]] of utter [[TheSociopath sociopathy]], this was a ''very'' common practice [[ValuesDissonance throughout the ancient world]].)

* ArmyOfLawyers: Psalm 127 suggests that a man who is blessed with a lot of sons will have this at his disposal, for they will "speak with their enemies at the gate", which is where court decisions are usually held.

* MoodWhiplash: Most of Psalm 137 is a beautiful, haunting lament of the loss of Jerusalem and the tragedy of the Hebrews made captive in Bablyon. Then the second-to-last verse promises a bloody and terrible revenge upon the Babylonians, before the last verse then promises to ''[[WouldHurtAChild brutally kill all of their children by smashing them against rocks]]''. Unsurprisingly, most of the many musical adaptations of this psalm omit the last line.

* ThePowerOfHate: Some of the passages have the psalmist admitting that he hates the wicked. For example, Psalm 139:21-22 has the psalmist declaring hating those who oppose God.

* PrayerOfMalice: Many of the Psalms involve the psalmist praying that God torments and punishes his enemies, especially those who persecute and oppress God's people; these are known as the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imprecatory_Psalms Imprecatory Psalms]].

* TheToothHurts: From Psalm 3:7:

* WouldHurtAChild: Psalm 137:9.

* DontMakeMeTakeMyBeltOff: In Psalm 89:31-32, God symbolically threatens to do to those who don't obey His commandments.

* DontMakeMeTakeMyBeltOff: In Psalm 89:31-32, God symbolically threatens to do those who don't obey His commandments.

* GoodIsNotSoft: While there are many verses centered on praising God for his goodness, there are also many verses where He will punishment the wicked.

* ThePowerOfHate: Some of the passages have the psalmist admitting that he hates the wicked. For example, Psalms 139:21-22 has the psalmist declaring hating those who oppose God.

* DontMakeMeTakeMyBeltOff: God seems to symbolically imply this in Psalm 89:31-34 if someone breaks His commandments.

* {{Forgiveness}}: Psalm 32

* GoodIsNotSoft: While there are many verses centered on praising God for his goodness, there are verses where He will dish out all kinds of severe punishments on sinners.

* GodsNeedPrayerBadly: Discussed and ultimately {{defied|trope}} in Psalm 50:
-->"I have no complaint about your sacrifices\\
or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.\\
But I do not need the bulls from your barns\\
or the goats from your pens.\\
For all the animals of the forest are mine,\\
and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.\\
I know every bird on the mountains,\\
and all the animals of the field are mine.\\
If I were hungry, I would not tell you,\\
for all the world is mine and everything in it.\\
Do I eat the meat of bulls?\\
Do I drink the blood of goats?"

-->For without cause they hid their net for me
-->Without cause they dug a pit for my life.
-->Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
-->And let the net that he hid ensnare him
-->Let him fall into it—to his destruction!

-->But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing [[CantTakeCriticism thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.]] When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, [[GoodIsNotSoft lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.]]

-->But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?\\
Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.\\
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.\\
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.\\
Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.\\
These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.\\
Now consider this, ye that forget God, [[GoodIsNotSoft lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.]]

* GoodIsNotNice: While there are many verses centered on praising God for his goodness, there are verses where He will dish out all kinds of severe punishments on sinners.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Psalm 124 bases it praises on wondering what would have happened if the LORD had not protected Israel against its enemies.

WhatCouldHaveBeen: Psalm 124 bases it praises on wondering what would have happened if the LORD had not protected Israel against its enemies.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: According to Christians, Psalm 22 foretells the crucifixion of Christ. He cries out the opening line, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It then foretells how the crowds mocked him while he was on the cross and that Roman soldiers would cast lots for his garments.

* InvulnerableHorses: Psalm 20 subverts this by declaring that the power of horses and chariots is nothing compared to the power of God.

* ArcWords:
** "For His mercy endures forever" or some variation thereof in the later Psalms. Psalm 136 has this line repeated no more than ''26 times'' throughout the entire psalm.

* WhereIsYourXNow: From Psalm 42:1-3.