Psalmy are a genre of Ukrainian spiritual (para-liturgical) song on religious, edifying, and moral-philosophical themes. Unlike canonical church chant, psalmy were performed outside worship — at home, on pilgrimages, at fairs — so they belong to the folk-religious rather than the liturgical tradition.
Psalmy held a special place in the repertoire of the wandering lirnyks and kobzars, who sang them to the lira or the bandura, gathering people around them. Their themes are the lives of the saints, reflections on death and the Last Judgement, repentance, and mercy. The melodies of psalmy are solemn and concentrated, often built on ancient modes. This genre was an important part of the spiritual life of the Ukrainian people for centuries and deeply influenced professional choral music.
