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Sacred Songs of the World
Many religious traditions have a collection of sacred songs, hymns, prayers, or poetic scriptures that serve a role similar to the Psalms. The biblical Book of Psalms itself is read as scripture by Judaism, Christianity and Rastafari, and is recognized in Islam through the figure of David; other religions have their own comparable devotional texts.
| Religion | Sacred Collection | Similar to the Psalms? | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judaism | Tehillim (Psalms) | Yes (the original) | Prayer, praise, lament, worship |
| Christianity | Book of Psalms | Yes | Worship, prayer, teaching |
| Rastafari | The Book of Psalms, chanted (Nyabinghi) | Yes (the same Psalms) | Chanting, drumming, praise and endurance |
| Islam | Zabur (Psalms of Dawud/David) | Yes | Revealed scripture to David; Muslims believe it was an earlier revelation from God |
| Sikhism | Guru Granth Sahib | Many hymns | Sung worship, meditation, praise |
| Hinduism | Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, Bhajans | Similar in devotional use | Worship, wisdom, praise |
| Buddhism | Sutras and chants | Similar in practice | Meditation, recitation, spiritual instruction |
| Jainism | Bhaktamara Stotra and other stotras | Similar | Praise, protection, devotion |
| Zoroastrianism | Gathas | Very similar | Sacred hymns and prayers |
| Baháʼí Faith | Hidden Words and Prayers | Similar | Personal devotion and worship |
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The Psalms originated in Judaism, where they are called Tehillim (“Praises”). They are recited:
- Daily prayers
- Sabbath worship
- Festivals
- Weddings
- Funerals
- Times of illness
- National celebrations
Every major Christian tradition uses the Psalms:
- Catholic
- Orthodox
- Protestant
- Anglican
- Lutheran
- Baptist
- Pentecostal
- Methodist
- Non-denominational
Rastafari began in Jamaica in the 1930s and grew out of Christianity, so it belongs with the Abrahamic faiths. It reads the Hebrew Bible — and of all its books, the Psalms are the one Rastafari made their own. They are not a comparison here: they are the same 150.
At gatherings called groundations, or Nyabinghi, Rastafari chant and drum through the night on three hand drums that answer one another. Psalms are read aloud, chanted and sung. Among those heard most often:
- Psalm 1 — The two paths, and the tree planted by the water
- Psalm 24 — The earth and everything in it belongs to God
- Psalm 121 — Looking up to the hills for help
- Psalm 133 — How good it is when people live together as one
- Psalm 137 — The song of people far from home, remembering it
That last one travelled furthest. Psalm 137 was written by people carried away from their own country, too sad to sing — and it became one of the best-known reggae songs in the world. An ancient psalm of homesickness ended up on the radio.
The Psalms also gave Rastafari a word it uses constantly. Babylon, the empire that took those singers away from home, became the name for anything that holds people down — so a psalm from thousands of years ago is still being sung as a song about freedom.
Rastafari honour Haile Selassie I, who was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930 and whom many Rastafari regard as a messianic figure, and they look to Africa, and to Ethiopia above all, as home.
Muslims believe God revealed the Zabur to the prophet Dawud (David). The Qur'an mentions the Zabur several times, recognizing it as one of God's revealed books before the Qur'an. However, Muslims generally believe the original text has not been preserved in its original form. The biblical Psalms are respected because of their association with David, though they are not considered fully authoritative scripture in the same way as the Qur'an.
Common themes include:
- Praising God
- Repentance
- Trust in God
- Gratitude
- Mercy
The Guru Granth Sahib is largely composed of hymns meant to be sung.
Themes include:
- Love of God
- Humility
- Justice
- Gratitude
- Service
- Inner peace
Music is central to Sikh worship, much like many Psalms were originally sung.
Several devotional traditions resemble the Psalms:
- Bhajans — devotional songs
- Vedas — sacred hymns
- Bhagavad Gita — spiritual dialogue
- Puranas — stories and praise
These texts express:
- Praise
- Prayer
- Worship
- Devotion
- Thanksgiving
While Buddhism does not have a “Psalms” equivalent, many traditions chant:
- Sutras
- Protective chants
- Meditation verses
These are recited for:
- Peace
- Mindfulness
- Compassion
- Wisdom
The Gathas, traditionally attributed to the prophet Zoroaster, are poetic hymns and are among the oldest surviving religious texts. They focus on:
- Worship of God
- Moral living
- Truth
- Justice
Their poetic, prayerful style is often compared to the Psalms.
Jain devotional literature includes hymns such as the Bhaktamara Stotra, which are recited for:
- Devotion
- Reflection
- Spiritual discipline
The Baháʼí writings include many revealed prayers and devotional passages used in daily worship, emphasizing:
- Unity
- Love
- Service
- Dependence on God
Ancient Religions with Hymn Traditions
Many ancient civilizations also preserved sacred hymns:
Ancient Egypt
Hymns to Aten, Amun, and other deities
Mesopotamia
Temple hymns and lamentations
Ancient Greece
Orphic Hymns
Ancient Rome
Religious hymns
Norse tradition
Poetic Edda (partly devotional and mythological)
These are historically significant but are not directly comparable in theology to the biblical Psalms.
Which Traditions Are Closest to the Psalms?
If you're looking specifically for texts that function most like the Psalms — as collections of poetic prayers, praise, lament, and worship — the closest parallels are:
- Judaism – Tehillim (the original Psalms)
- Christianity – Book of Psalms
- Rastafari – the same Book of Psalms, chanted to drums
- Islam – Zabur (Psalms of David, as understood in Islamic tradition)
- Zoroastrianism – Gathas
- Sikhism – Guru Granth Sahib (devotional hymns)
Among these, Judaism, Christianity and Rastafari use the same canonical Book of Psalms as scripture — Rastafari because it grew out of Christianity and kept the Hebrew Bible with it. Islam affirms that David received the Zabur but does not use the biblical Psalms as part of its liturgical scripture, while the other traditions have their own independent collections of sacred hymns and prayers.