For Bible Lit: Pick a Psalm

“PICK A PSALM” STUDY

Directions:  Pick a psalm.  (There are 150 to choose from.)  Answer the following questions about your psalm.  You may type right on this page.  Be sure to put your name(s) on it.  

1.        What psalm did you choose to write about?

2.        What version of the Bible are you using?

3.       How many verses are in your psalm?

4.       Does your psalm tell who wrote it?  If yes, what’s the psalm writer’s name?  (If none is given, delete the name questions and this comment.)

5.       What is the overall TONE (happy, sad, angry, excited, etc…) of your psalm?  Answer the question in a complete sentence and explain WHY you think so.  [What words of the writer show that emotion?]

6.       Copy a line or sentence from the psalm you chose that is a little confusing to you.  Put quotation marks around it.  Then, tell what you think it means.

7.       Copy a line or sentence from the psalm you chose that you like best of all.  Put quotation marks around it.  Then, in a complete sentence tell why you like it.

8.       Find at least two of the following literary elements in your psalm.  Copy them and put them in quotation marks.  Then tell what literary element it is.  You will get one point for every literary element you identify up to a maximum of 10.                                                                                              

Simile (comparison using like or as)
Metaphor (comparison not using like or as)
Colloquialism (regional or cultural saying)
Personification (giving an object human characteristics)
Hyperbole (great exaggeration)
Vivid Imagery (Creating a picture with words)
Parallel Structure (Repeating words or phrases)

Assonance (Repeating vowel sounds in words, i.e. “How now brown cow”)

Alliteration (Repeating initial consonant sounds, i.e. “Peter Piper Picked a Peck”)

9.        Write a summary of your psalm.  In three sentences and in YOUR OWN WORDS summarize what this psalm was about.