The psalms of Holy Week in order, from the Palm Sunday crowd to Easter morning, with where the Gospels and Acts quote them.
The Gospels put the psalms in the mouths of the crowd and of Jesus at the cross. Matthew records the Palm Sunday crowd shouting a line from Psalm 118. John says the soldiers who divided Jesus's clothes fulfilled a verse of Psalm 22. After the resurrection, the first sermons in Acts turn to Psalm 16 and Psalm 2 to explain it. This page follows those psalms through the week.
The picks run in order: Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. Where a psalm is set for that day's Mass, the note says so and the source is listed below. Tick the verses you want and print them as one sheet.
Matthew 21:9 has the crowd shouting words from Psalm 118 as Jesus enters Jerusalem. The Lectionary sets Psalm 22 as the psalm of the Palm Sunday Mass in all three years.
Blessed is he who comes in the LORD’s name!We have blessed you out of the LORD’s house.
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
Blessed is he who comes in the LORD's name. Matthew 21:9 records the crowd shouting this line, with Hosanna, as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
All those who see me mock me.They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
From the Palm Sunday psalm, which opens my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. Here the writer describes onlookers mocking him and shaking their heads.
The Lectionary sets Psalm 116 for the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper and Psalm 31 for Good Friday. John's Gospel quotes Psalm 22 at the cross.
I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the LORD’s name.
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
From the Holy Thursday evening psalm. Taking up the cup of salvation is the writer's answer to the question in verse 12: what will I give to the LORD.
They divide my garments among them.They cast lots for my clothing.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Garments divided and lots cast for clothing. John 19:24 quotes this verse and says the soldiers at the cross did this so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
My times are in your hand.Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
From the Good Friday psalm, whose verse 5, into your hand I commend my spirit, matches the last words Luke 23:46 gives Jesus. This verse hands over time itself: my times are in your hand.
At the Easter Vigil a psalm or canticle follows each Old Testament reading. Psalm 16 follows the reading about Abraham and Isaac, and Psalm 30 follows Isaiah 54, in the 2026 USCCB readings.
For you will not leave my soul in Sheol,neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor let your holy one see corruption. Acts 2:27 and Acts 13:35 both quote this verse, and Acts 2:31 says David was speaking of the resurrection of the Christ.
For his anger is but for a moment.His favor is for a lifetime.Weeping may stay for the night,but joy comes in the morning.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning. The heading calls Psalm 30 a song for the dedication of the Temple and attributes it to David.
The Lectionary sets Psalm 118 for Easter Sunday, and it also follows the Epistle at the Easter Vigil. Acts 13:33 links Psalm 2 to the resurrection.
This is the day that the LORD has made.We will rejoice and be glad in it!
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
From Psalm 118, the Easter Sunday psalm. The day is named as the LORD's work, and the response is to rejoice and be glad in it.
I will not die, but live,and declare the LORD’s works.
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
I will not die, but live. This line is part of the Easter Sunday psalm, and it gives a reason for living: to declare what the LORD has done.
I will tell of the decree:The LORD said to me, “You are my son.Today I have become your father.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
You are my son, today I have become your father. In Acts 13:33 Paul quotes this line from the second psalm when he speaks of God raising Jesus.
In the 2026 USCCB readings for the Easter Vigil, Psalm 104 or Psalm 33 follows the creation reading, Psalm 16 follows the reading about Abraham, and Psalm 30 and Psalm 19 follow readings from Isaiah and Baruch. After Ezekiel 36 comes Psalms 42 and 43 when baptism is celebrated, or else a canticle from Isaiah 12 or Psalm 51. Psalm 118 follows the reading from Romans. The response after the Red Sea reading is a canticle from Exodus 15.
Psalm 118, in the Lectionary for Mass. Its verse 24 reads this is the day that the LORD has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 22 is the psalm of the Palm Sunday Mass in the Lectionary. Psalm 118:26 is the line Matthew 21:9 records the crowd shouting as Jesus entered Jerusalem.
Acts 2:31 says Psalm 16:10 speaks of the resurrection of the Christ, and Acts 13:33 connects Psalm 2:7 with God raising Jesus. Neither psalm names Jesus.
Matthew 27:46 records him crying the first line of Psalm 22, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. Luke 23:46 gives his last words in the form of Psalm 31:5.
Psalm 31, in the Lectionary for Mass. Its verse 5, into your hand I commend my spirit, matches the last words Luke 23:46 gives Jesus.
Psalms About JesusPsalms for Lent and FastingPsalms about SalvationPsalms of VictoryPsalms of Happiness and JoyPsalms for Baptism