Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce psalm

SAHM - one syllable, rhyming with 'calm'; the 'p' and 'l' are silent

US/sɑm/

sɑm

UK/sɑːm/

sɑːm

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

The 'p' and 'l' are both silent - 'SAHM', like 'calm' with an 's'.

What “psalm” means

A sacred song; a poetical composition for use in the praise or worship of God.

One of the hymns by David and others, collected into one book of the Old Testament, or a modern metrical version of such a hymn for public worship.

In a sentence

  • The psalms are often sung or chanted in worship services.
  • She composed a modern psalm about hope and resilience for the service.

Say it out loud a few times, then check yourself.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.