This paper centres on psychological theory and its characteristics within the context of the recently acknowledged theoretical crisis, wherein poor theorising has been identified as a significant contributor to the replication crisis. Although I focus mainly on verbal theories, I wish to make it clear that I am not thereby arguing that a theory should be exclusively verbal. My intention is merely to emphasise that the verbal dimension of theorising constitutes a legitimate and integral aspect of theory construction and development, rather than a merely impoverished or preliminary form of theory. For this reason, the verbal side of a theory ought to be developed with the same care and responsibility as its formal counterpart. I aim to show that while psychology not only needs to value verbal, predominantly middle-range theories, it also should not overlook their systematic nature and coherence. The virtues of systematicity and coherence are crucial for utilizing theories as tools to steer and define the research process, encompassing the establishment of new hypotheses. In emphasizing these theoretical virtues, I draw attention to two underappreciated aspects of a theory. First, a psychological theory should prioritize the research object over effects or tasks. Second, psychological theories span across various presentations, extending beyond individual reports or publications. Following this discussion, I propose the adoption of a narrative framework to achieve theoretical systematicity within verbal, primarily middle-range theories. In conclusion, I provide two illustrative examples that underscore the significance of systematicity and coherence in psychological research.