Акростих

A literary form in which successive units begin with consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 is the most elaborate acrostic — 176 verses organized in 22 stanzas of eight verses each, with every verse in a stanza beginning with the same Hebrew letter. Other acrostics include Psalms 9-10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, and 145; Proverbs 31:10-31 (the virtuous woman); and Lamentations 1-4. The acrostic form aided memorization, conveyed thoroughness and completeness (A to Z coverage), and demonstrated literary skill. It showed that even within structured constraints, the biblical writers could express profound theological and devotional content.