Psalm 91 is about trust and confidence in God. It opens with an invitation addressed to one "who dwells in the shelter of the Most High" (i.e., the Temple) and describes the condition of him who habitually trusts in the Lord (v.9). The invitation is to invoke the Lord with the words: "My refuge, My fortress; God in whom I trust." (v.2) Following the invocation is a didactic part where the psalmist gives assurance of the protection of Yahweh (vv. 3-4) the security that this affords (vv. 5-8), the safety it provides even in the face of danger (vv. 10-13).

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The seventh of the penitential psalms is a prayer of a man in danger. He acknowledges the punishment he merits and prays that God would not come in judgment(v.2). There is no word for sin here, but the petitioner knows he is not guiltless before God.

Please do not come to judge your servant
for none among the living is guiltless before your eyes.

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Psalm 32 (31) is described as a thanksgiving psalm. R. Clifford (Collegeville Bible Commentary) explains a thanksgiving thus:

(i)n essence ... is a report of rescue from the hands of the wicked. The term "thanksgiving" is somewhat misleading for in the Bible to "give thanks" does not mean to say "thank you" but to tell publicly of the rescue that has occured.

The psalm therefore is the public "report" of a rescue, of a salvation experienced. At the same time, this psalm is also recognized by the Church as a penitential psalm. In other words, it is a prayer that expresses the sentiments of one who turns away from sin and turns towards the mercy of God.

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The most famous of the penitential psalms is traditionally called the "Miserere" and is linked to David's realization of his sin with Bathsheba. The subtitle of psalm 51 is "When Nathan came to David because he went into Bathsheba" and is therefore understood against the background of a prophetic accusation of guilt.

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Psalm 6 is one of the seven penitential psalms. In vv. 2-8, one finds the prayer for help while in vv. 9-11, the petitioner's reaction to the answer to his prayer.

There is no mention of sin here, but the petitioner does complain implicitly of the absence of God or at least His apparent inattention. The first two lines indicate the reason for this inattention: God is angry with him (v. 2).

Psalm 24 (25) is an acrostic psalm; its principle of unity are the letters of the alphabet. The psalmist however composed the psalm sufficiently well making it a vehicle through which one can express one's need of forgiveness. Except for the last line which perhaps was added later on when the psalm was incorporated into Israel's worship (post exile?), the whole psalm can be used by anyone (individual or group) in a prayer for the forgiveness of sins.

Psalm 30(31) has been associated with the Passion and Death of the Lord because one of the seven last words is a quotation from it: "Into your hand I commend my spirit" (v. 6, cf. Luke 23:46). It is the prayer of a just man who is persecuted by his enemies. The psalm can be divided into three parts the last of which is a cry of exultation for God's mercy and the good things He reserves for his faithful (v. 20).

I wait for the Lord, more than the watchman for daybreak.

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Psalm 129 (130) is more familiarly known by its Latin title, "De profundis", the first line of its Vulgate translation. It is one of the penitential psalms and is often used at burials. But the liturgy of the Church also employs it in Advent, the Christmas season and Easter, apart from Lent. A Filipino translation I prepared for this psalm is found here.

Psalm 138 is a thanksgiving for an answered prayer. Though it is marked as "belonging to David", one can be assured that it can be used by anyone who has experienced the hand of God in one's life.

Psalm 89 is labelled a lament over God's promises to David. The label is justified by verses 39-52 which is rendered more dramatic by two preceding mythic recitals of God's victory over his enemies (vv. 6-19) and that of the election of David (vv. 20-38). All these is prepared for by a prelude that puts these two recitals within a praise for God's grace (hesed) and faithfulness (aemunah).