Composed by John Coltrane in 1964, "Psalm" is the fourth and final movement of A Love Supreme, recorded in a single session on December 9, 1964, with McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums for Impulse! Records. Unlike the preceding movements, "Psalm" abandons conventional meter and form entirely, unfolding as a rhythmically free meditation over a droning bass and sparse piano accompaniment, with Jones contributing solemn timpani textures rather than a standard drum kit pattern. The movement's defining characteristic is that Coltrane's saxophone melody functions as a musical recitation of a poem he wrote titled "A Love Supreme," printed in the album's liner notes. Biographer Lewis Porter demonstrated that each saxophone phrase corresponds syllable for syllable to the poem's text, with recurring motifs such as the three-note figure for "Thank you God" and a closing statement on "Amen." Coltrane's own compositional sketches confirm this intent, containing the instruction "musical recitation of prayer by horn" and "Horn ends on Thank you God." The movement's highly pentatonic melody builds from contemplative phrasing through varied registers to bursts of altissimo and free improvisation before settling into its final devotional statement. Within the suite's narrative arc, "Psalm" represents spiritual attainment and celebration after the journey through acknowledgment, resolution, and pursuance. The Library of Congress added A Love Supreme to the National Recording Registry in recognition of its cultural significance. Because "Psalm" is so deeply embedded in the suite's integrated structure, it is virtually never performed as a standalone piece, and even complete performances of the suite by other artists remain uncommon.
