PSALMS: AUTHORSHIP

The most obvious answer to the question “Who wrote the psalms?” would seem to be King David since almost half (72) of the psalms have the heading “A Psalm of David.” Also, we can consult II Samuel 23:1-2, which states that David was the “sweet psalmist of Israel.” But things are not so clear-cut.

1. Unfortunately, that KJV translation is probably not at all correct in this wording, as most modern versions demonstrate.

2. It should be pointed out that “psalm of David” can denote authorship, on the behalf of David, about David, or belonging to the collection of David (as editor or main contributor).

3. It is felt that the headings to the psalms were added at a later date, and therefore may or may not be considered as inspired. However, my analysis of the structure of Psalms indicates that the authorships given in the headings are actually the key to the order of the Psalms in its present form.

4. There is confirmation of Davidic authorship given in the New Testament, but interestingly the author of Hebrews quotes from the psalms extensively, identifying the authorship using different terms. Sometimes David is given as author, but in Hebrews 3:7 the author quotes from Psalm 95, which he calls a work of the Holy Spirit. This is appropriate since no one knows who wrote Hebrews either. In both cases, the important fact is that the knowledge of the human author is not nearly as important as the divine author behind the writing of the OT and NT.

Therefore we should not disfellowship someone just because they may have different thoughts on the human authorship of Psalms as we do. Also keep in mind that those who state that all the psalms were written by David are blatantly contradicting the headings of psalms said to be written by Korah and Asaph (twelve psalms each), Heman and Ethan (one psalm apiece), Solomon (psalms 72 and 127), and Moses (inferred from Psalm 95:8-11). And that doesn't even count the anonymous Psalm 137 which is set during the Babylonian Exile, 250 years after David's death.