(also Psalm) a sacred song or poem used in worship, esp any of the biblical hymns attributed to King David of Israel and others and collected in the Book of Psalms
(Psalms) (treated as sing.) the 19th book of the Old Testament, consisting of a collection of hymns
psalmist noun
psalmic /ʹsahmik, ʹsalmik/ adj
[Old English psealm via late Latin from Greek psalmos song sung to a harp, from psallein to pluck, play a stringed instrument]