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Few books in the Old Testament are as popular among modern readers as the book of Psalms. The ancient yet timeless collection of poems, hymns, and prayers addresses various issues in life. The psalms encourage readers to connect with God through praises, thanksgiving, and even cries of lament. Along with emotional lines intended for communion with God, the book of Psalms also contains didactic lines that teach us to align our lives with God and His Word. Many psalms can be easily memorized, such as Psalm 91, Psalm 121, and the well-known Psalm 23. This profoundly impactful book was authored by several individuals, with the Holy Spirit overseeing them all.
King David is commonly associated with the book of Psalms because of his reputation as a skilled harpist and songwriter (see 1 Samuel 6:14-21;2 Samuel 1:17-27). David is specifically credited as the author of 73 psalms in the Hebrew titles of the psalms. Additionally, David is identified as the author of two psalms (Psalms 2 and 95) by writers in the New Testament. Other psalms are attributed to Moses, Asaph, and the sons of Korah, including Heman and Ethan (also known as Jeduthun). Around fifty psalms lack titles, so no author is specified. Some of these fifty were likely penned by David as well. According to Jewish tradition, other psalms are credited to Adam, Melchizedek, and Abraham.
Modern scholarship does not fully accept the Jewish traditional attributions, but it does recognize the multiple authorship of Psalms. Scholars note that attribution does not always imply authorship. For example, Psalm 3, titled “A Psalm of David,” could have been written for the king or on his behalf. Nevertheless, it is still possible that he wrote it. Determining the authorship of ancient texts is challenging, particularly when dealing with a coll…
Section of multiple works.
It is believed that the Psalms were gathered and arranged during the time following Israel’s exile to Babylon, as the nation was undergoing reconstruction. Ezra the scribe is probably the individual accountable for assembling the collection, structuring it into its five books, and appending titles to those Psalms whose authorship was identified.
