Maybe a prophet is given their knowledge of the future from a religious being whereas psychics think they just have the inate power to tell the future. Who knows ... just one idea.

As Catholics we remember that the first commandment states, "I am the Lord thy God. You shall not have any gods before me." When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with all of your strength" (Matthew 22:37). While God can choose to reveal the future to His prophets, we as individuals must always have trust in His divine providence. While we may have that passing curiosity of what will happen in the future, we anchor our lives in the Lord, trusting in His love and care. To try to discover the future through palm reading, tarot cards, or some other form of fortunetelling, or to try to control the future through black magic, witchcraft, or sorcery violates the first commandment. Sacred Scripture has many warnings of these activities: Exodus 22:17, Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 20:27, and Deuteronomy 18:10-12. With love in Christ.

In the book of numbers you can find the story of balak and balaam. balaam was a prophet of GOD,a faithfull prophet until he took goods from balak for his prophesies.a psychic foretells the future for money, a prophet fortells for the glory of GOD in the book of 2peter 2:15-19 it speaks on psychics takeing money for prophecy is wages of unrighteousness

Shalom, The following from http://www.chabad.org/ might be of some use. Please click the following link for a definition of prophecy. http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/84902/jewish/What-is-Prophecy.htm I'll try to do my best to explain, though, for those who do not wish to follow an external link. In Judeo-Christian belief, a Prophet is an individual who receives a vision, in the form of a parable or riddle, from G-d. This always occurs, with one notable exception (which I will explain at the bottom), during a restful period of meditation or sleep. To receive a prophecy is an extremely frightening experience during which one will lose control of their body (often the limbs shake and the eyes will roll and move, the mouth may move, etc.) as HaShem implants a parable or riddle directly into the mind of the individual. The individual will immediately understand the purpose and explanation of the parable or riddle, but they may choose to pass on only the parable or riddle. The purpose of prophecy is not self-glorification, the verification or modification of life-laws, commandments, etc. All of this is set in stone in the Torah and, for Christians, in the New Testament. These things are the words and directions of G-d and cannot be changed. The purpose of prophecy is to provide correction of self, or of Jewish society, or society as a whole. Rambam, Maimonides, tells us of the following criteria to ready oneself to receive prophecy - one must be wise, and of a clear and lucid mind; of impeccable character, and utterly in control of one's passions and desires; of a calm and joyous constitution; one must shun materiality and the frivolities of life, devoting oneself entirely to knowing and serving G-d. We are told to listen to anyone who claims to be a prophet or who has received prophecy. However, this does not mean we are to believe them unless they fulfill certain criteria. As we listen to them we run down a long, complicated list to verify that it is actual prophecy. For example, anyone who tells us that we may not sacrifice animals because the Temple is not in existence, but we are to offer prayers instead probably received actual prophecy. We know this because we are told that details of our life-style and religion might change TEMPORARILY, and because we are not to offer sacrifice outside of Jerusalem. (Only once, since the creation of the Temple, have we done this - when Eliyyahu (Elijah) offered the bull in front of Ahab and the followers of Ba'al just outside of Jerusalem). So this makes sense, and, indeed, it is what we do now because verified prophets have told us this is what we must do. However, if someone who claimed to be a prophet told us to follow after other gods who we have not known, even if for a short time, they are not prophets because idolatry is NEVER allowed, even temporarily. We have what you might consider an idol, such as the Cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant. However, these are representations of G-d and Mankind, and not idols to which we may pray. We are so serious about idolatry that even if a part of G-d were presented to us, such as His "Hand" (He is a spirit and has no form), we may not pray to it. That is idolatry. Any medium to which we pray or worship, even a part of G-d, is idolatry, for G-d is echad (one) and not segmented or a compound unity, such as a cluster of grapes or a grape itself (skin, meat, juice, seeds). If we discover a false prophet we have a variety of executions we may use on the individual, depending on what they did exactly. If a man merely claimed to have prophecy, which we verified as false, but did not follow, then we merely strangle him. He spoke as if he were the voice of G-d, so we execute him at his voice. Even a righteous man of G-d might fall and offer false prophecy. Their past record does no good here and we must execute them because we are commanded to. See Deut. 13:1 (which shows that G-d might test us) The only prophet who was above all the rules was Moses. Aside from the Christian Jesus, there was no man as perfect as Moses. He was the only man who spoke to G-d "mouth-to-mouth", "face-to-face", "as a man speaks to a good friend". Moses did not need to enter a trance or sleep, he received prophecy right from G-d's own lips, face-to-face, as a man speaks to his best friend. He was the only prophet who was allowed to speak to G-d in person any time he desired no matter the circumstances. He was so beloved by G-d that he is the only man who was buried in person by G-d Himself, upon his death. Psychics are men and women who act through a familiar spirit (familiar, helper, Daemon (not like His Dark Materials daemons), etc.) (if they are real psychics, for witchcraft and black magic is real and really works). Some work through necromancy, which conjures up the soul of a departed person in order to ask questions, receive information about the future, etc. In Judeo-Christianity these souls are always some sort of malign spirit who is masquerading as the target soul. Usually psychics are self-serving, some honestly wish to benefit mankind. All receive visions, information, or what-have-you through the wrong channels. Someone might honestly claim to receive prophecy, such as some psychics. Actually the age of prophecy ended about 23 centuries ago, so all prophets past then did not receive actual prophecy. The next prophet will be Moschiach (in Judaism, the Anointed one who will rule the world as her king and who will direct all worship to HaShem. In Christianity, Christ's second coming). Don't take me wrong, I'm not trying to sound like I'm down-playing psychics or witchcraft. G-d has placed both good and bad, light and dark, here so that man may choose freely. If you are a psychic and believe you have the power, good for you and I wish you well! (though, if you're of the self-serving variety, well, good for you...) G-d does indeed grant personal revelation and divine inspiration so as to help you on your path. We are all placed here on our own path. HaShem's blessings, Ayreh

Psychics read peoples minds, while prophets predict the future.