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The Hebrew title of the “Psalms” (Tehillɩ̂m) translates to “praise songs,”[1] while the Greek rendition (psalmoi) refers to them as “songs accompanied by stringed instruments.”[2] Comprising 150 poetic compositions, the psalms were central to the spirituality of ancient Israel. While contemporary audiences may favor pop songs, the Jews found solace and inspiration in the timeless melodies and lyrics of the psalms, often singing them as part of their regular worship.
Commentaries on the Psalms
Psalm 1: Meditating on God’s Word
Psalm 16: God’s Safety and Security: In this Life and the Next
Psalm 19: God’s Dual Revelation
Psalm 22: The Righteous Sufferer.
Psalm 32: Grace and Forgiveness
Psalm 77: Remember God’s Faithfulness
Psalm 90: Life is Short. Make it Count
Psalm 110: The Messianic Priest-King
Psalm 139: The All-Knowing God
The Authorship of the Psalms
King David wrote roughly half of the Psalms (73 total).[3] David was a poet (2 Sam. 1:19-27; 3:33-34; 23:2-51), a musician (1 Sam. 16:18; 23; 2 Sam. 6:5; Amos 6:5), and he pushed for music in the Temple (1 Chron. 15:16-24; 16:7; 31; 25:1; Ezra 3:10). He was also a courageous and handsome warrior (1 Sam. 16:18). It’s challenging and encouraging to see the rich emotional life of such a strong, godly man.
David wasn’t the only author of the Psalms, however. The superscriptions tell us of several others:
- Moses (Ps. 90).
- Asaph (Ps. 50, 73-83; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:5; 2 Chronicles 29:30).
- Descendants of Korah (42, 44-49, 84, 87-88).
- Solomon (Ps. 72, 127).
- Heman the Ezrahite (Ps. 88). He was “the founder of the choir known as ‘the sons of Korah,’ and was famed for his wisdom (1 Kgs 4:31).”[4]
- Ethan the Ezrahite (Ps. 89). He is “probably identical with Jeduthun, who founded one of the three choirs (cf. 1 Chr. 15:19; 2 Chr. 5:12).”[5]
- “Orphan psalms” are those which are anonymous (34 psalms).
Critics often deny the validity of these superscriptions—specifically those attributed to David.[6] However, there is good evidence that these are reliable. For one, the NT authors cite the superscriptions as authoritative on a few occasions:
- Jesus attributes Psalm 110 to David (Mt. 22:43, Mk. 12:36; Lk. 20:42). Davis writes, “The statement of Jesus (Matt 22:43) is particularly striking, because the point Jesus is making is invalid if David is not the author of Psalm 110.”[7]
- Paul attributes Psalms 32 and 69 to David (Rom. 4:6; 11:9).
- Peter attributes Psalm 16 and 41 to David (Acts 1:16; 2:25).
Extrabiblical Jewish writings attribute Davidic authorship to some of the psalms as well (2 Macc. 2:13; Baba Bathra 14b). In the case of the NT citations, this could imply a strong historical tradition, or even the inspiration of these superscriptions. Moreover, superscriptions occur outside the Psalms in historical and prophetic books (2 Sam. 22:1 and Ps. 18; Isa. 38:9, 21; Hab. 3:1, 19b).
What about counterclaims regarding the authorship of the psalms? Consider a couple of arguments against the Davidic authorship of the Psalms.
ARGUMENT #1: David speaks about the king in the third person
This doesn’t disqualify Davidic authorship because many ancient kings wrote this way. Gleason Archer cites examples in Xenophon’s The Anabasis and Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars.[8] Archer even adds that Yahweh switches between the first person (“I am the LORD your God”) to the third person (“The LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain”), even in the same chapter of Scripture (Ex. 20:2, 7).
ARGUMENT #2: David refers to the Temple existing in his day
Solomon built the Temple after David’s death. How can David refer to the Temple existing in his day in numerous psalms? (Ps. 5, 27, 28, 63, 68, 69, 101, 138) A number of observations can be made:
First, David could be using the term “temple” in a generic sense. The “temple” could just as easily refer to the “tabernacle,” which existed in David’s day. Archer writes, “Sanctuary (qōdeš) is used of the tabernacle in Ex. 28:43; house of the Lord (bēyt Yahweh) in Joshua 6:24; the house of God (bēyt Elôhɩ̂m) in Judg. 18:31; and even temple (hēyḵāl) in 1 Sam. 1:9; 3:3.”[9] Furthermore, Archer notes that Psalm 27 mentions the “temple” (v.4) and the “house of the LORD,” but this same psalm calls this area the “tabernacle” and the “tent” (v.5).
Second, David could’ve been anticipating the future dedication of the Temple by Solomon. God gave David the instructions to build the Temple (2 Sam. 7:1-5; 1 Chron. 29:1-9). Because he knew the Temple would be built, he refers to the Temple in the future tense: “Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts” (Ps. 68:29). Thus, it shouldn’t surprise us that David wrote music for its grand opening. David might have written these psalms because he was looking forward to the construction of the Temple more than anyone—even if his songs were sung posthumously.
Conclusion
We don’t have good reasons for denying the superscriptions of the manuscripts themselves. Therefore, we hold that David wrote the Psalms attributed to him in the superscriptions. Furthermore, Jesus and the disciples affirmed Davidic authorship on numerous occasions (Mt. 22:45; Mk. 12:36; Acts 4:25-26; Acts 1:20; 2:25-28; 2:34; Rom. 4:6-8).
The Date of the Psalms
The Israelites collected poetry fairly early (Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:17-27). They recorded the Psalms during the Exodus (Ex. 15:1-18, 21), the Judges (Judg. 5:2-31), the Kings and Prophets (2 Sam. 1:19-27; 3:33-34; 22:2-51; 23:1-7; 1 Chron. 29:10-13; Isa. 5:1-7, 23:16; 26:1-6; 27:2-5; Hos. 6:1-3; Hab. 3) and at least until the time of the Exile (Ps. 137). Thus, many authors wrote many songs over a thousand-year timespan.
The Psalms are composed of five distinct books:
- Book 1 (1-41).[10]
- Book 2 (42-72)
- Book 3 (73-89)
- Book 4 (90-106)
- Book 5 (107-150)
Books 1 and 2 fall under the general authorship of David (1038 to 968 BC).[11] At the end of Book 2, the text states, “This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse” (Ps. 72:20). This doesn’t mean that David wrote every psalm in these first two books. Rather, “the collection both begins and ends with Davidic psalms, and the concluding postscript emphasizes the Davidic character of the whole.”[12] Another scholar writes that this conclusion “could refer to an earlier collection by David that was incorporated into this material.”[13]
Books 3, 4, and 5 generally date to a post-exilic time period—though some psalms are Davidic (Ps. 139) or even Mosaic (Ps. 90).[14]
What about the other authors?
Solomon (Pss. 72, 127), Ethan the Ezrahite (Ps. 89), and Heman the Ezrahite (Ps. 88) were contemporaries of David who lived in the 10th century BC (1 Kin. 4:31. 1 Chron. 15:19).
Asaph (Psalms 50; 73-83) appears throughout the OT. A man named Asaph was a singer alongside David (1 Chron. 6:39; 15:19), but the name Asaph appears 500 years later as being the father of the Levites (Ezra 3:10). Are these two separate people? This is unclear. Davis writes, “More problematic is the fact that the Psalms of Asaph seem to come from several different time periods, so we appear to not be dealing with a single author.”[15]
The sons of Korah (Ps. 42, 44-49, 84-85; 87-88) descended from the man who tried to usurp the leadership of Moses and Aaron (i.e. “Korah’s rebellion). However, the term “sons of Korah” could descend down to the time of David (2 Chron 20:18-19) or Jehoshaphat in the 9th century (2 Chron 20:18-19).
Beyond these general principles, it is quite difficult to date individual psalms based on “internal or linguistic evidence, because they tend to be very short.” There will not be “more than a weak and inconclusive clue or two to help us.”[16] That is, the sample size is too small to serve as strong evidence of their date. That being said, internal mention of kings or the exile can help give a general timeframe for each individual psalm. But these terse internal or linguistic clues help build or weaken the overall probability only slightly.
What does “Selah” mean?
The Hebrew word selah occurs 71 times throughout the Psalms (cf. Hab. 3:9, 13). How should this word be translated? Scholars offer a number of different perspectives.
OPTION #1. This word is untranslatable. Waltke[17] and Achtemeier[18] take the view of the majority of scholars who argue that this word simply cannot be translated. In Waltke’s view, this is similar to attempting to translate “hip, hip, hooray!” A literal translation of the term is “ascent,” which comes from a Hebrew root word (sll) that means “to lift up.”[19] Thus, this word might imply “looking up to God” or “praising him.”
OPTION #2. This word refers to a musical interlude. Archer[20] observes that the Greek translation of the OT (the Septuagint) translates this term as “diapsalma, which means ‘musical interlude.’”
OPTION #3. This word signals the reader to meditate on the word. Pastor Joe Focht understands this term as, “What do you think about that?” In other words, these are cues from the psalmist to encourage meditation and reflection in the moment, as the musical interlude plays in the background.
The Importance of the Psalms
First, the New Testament (NT) authors quote from the Psalms extensively. The NT cites the Psalms 116 times. (Isaiah is the only book cited more than the Psalms.) As followers of Christ, we should immerse ourselves in the book that Jesus and his disciples were absorbed in.
Second, the Psalms teach us to have a heart for God. David wrote roughly half of the Psalms. In his writings, we see inside the soul of a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). The psalms are not dry theological treatises. Instead, these songs come from a place deep inside the hearts and minds of the authors. As one commentator explains, “[The] Psalms make it possible to say things that are otherwise unsayable.”[21]
Readers discover the repetition of the psalms: praise, thanksgiving, God’s protection, God’s empowerment, etc. The reader might feel like this is boring at times. However, this shows what was really in David’s heart most of the time. He centered his prayers on God and his goodness. This also reveals to us what it means to be a “man after God’s own heart.” Praise was at the center of David’s relationship with God.
In the psalms, we have the privilege of watching David wrestle with his sin and finding hope in the grace of God. Pastor Joe Focht points out that David was a much worse king and father after his moral fall into adultery and murder (2 Sam. 11-12), but he was a much better psalmist. After his fall, David understood the grace of God to a far deeper degree. At the end of his life, David doesn’t see himself as a mighty warrior or as a powerful leader, but simply as the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Sam. 23:1).
Third, the psalms are our best commentaries on the Bible. Instead of jumping to extrabiblical commentaries (like the Mishnah), we should read how the psalmists interpret Scripture. In addition to providing commentary, they also give us interlocking historical details. For instance, thirteen of the psalms tell us what David was thinking at key aspects in his life (Ps. 3, 7, 18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63, 142).
Fourth, the psalms teach us how to pray. They take us through the whole range of human emotions. Instead of giving us an instruction manual on how to pray, God gave us 150 inspired prayers. That is, instead of telling us how to pray, God chose to show us instead (cf. Lk. 11:1). Additionally, the psalms teach us how to praise God. Indeed, almost every psalm mentions giving praise to God, using the word “Hallelujah.”[22]
Fifth, the psalms teach us how to balance honesty with fidelity. Roughly 40% of the psalms are lament psalms. Yet this doesn’t mean that the Psalms teach us to complain or have a poor attitude. Laments teach us how to pour out our emotions with honesty, and also how to fight our despair by trusting the great promises of God. Laments start in sorrow, but they end in faith and hope.[23]
Sixth, the psalms reveal God’s “lovingkindness” (hesed). This Hebrew word is typically translated as “lovingkindness” (hesed). However, Bruce Waltke states that this is not a good translation, because it ignores the legal commitment God has made to his people. Thus, Waltke contends that we should translate hesed as “loving loyalty” or “loyal love.”
Commentaries and Resources
Gerald H. Wilson, Psalms, vol. 1, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002).
This is considered one of the top commentaries on the Psalms, and we agree. Surprisingly, this is more of a technical commentary than most others that are considered “technical.” Yet, Wilson offers excellent application and contemporary content. Our only problem with this commentary is that it only covers Psalms 1-72.
Willem A. VanGemeren, Psalms: The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Vol. 5, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991).
Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973).
Rolf A. Jacobson and Beth Tanner, “Book One of the Psalter: Psalms 1-41,” in The Book of Psalms, ed. E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014).
Robert Alter, The Book of Psalms (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009).
Alter is a secular commentator. However, he offers keen literary insights into the text.
C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms (New York: Harvest Book; Houghton Mifflin, 1958).
Lewis’ book is a topical reading of the psalms, breaking up the various topics into categories. As usual, Lewis offers profound and thoughtful insights into his subject matter. However, this book also has a number of problems that the reader should discern:
Chapter 11 (“Scripture”) is a particularly disagreeable chapter. Lewis doesn’t hold to biblical inerrancy: “The human qualities of the raw materials show through. Naivety, error, contradiction, even (as in the cursing Psalms) wickedness are not removed. The total result is not ‘the Word of God’ in the sense that every passage, in itself, gives impeccable science or history. It carries the Word of God; and we (under grace, with attention to tradition and to interpreters wiser than ourselves, and with the use of such intelligence and learning as we may have) receive that word from it not by using it as an encyclopedia or an encyclical but by steeping ourselves in its tone or temper and so learning its overall message” (pp.111-112).
He denied the historicity of Job (pp.109-110).
He believed that the story of creation could’ve been told and retold until it reached its final state in the book of Genesis. He writes, “When a series of such re-tellings turns a creation story which at first had almost no religious or metaphysical significance into a story which achieves the idea of true Creation and of a transcendent Creator (as Genesis does), then nothing will make me believe that some of the re-tellers, or some one of them, has not been guided by God” (p.110-111).
He refers to the imprecatory psalms as “all the horrible distortions of the human medium” (p.114).
Chapter 12 purports an allegorical interpretation of the psalms. For instance, Lewis states that the dashing of the babies’ heads against the rock (Ps. 137) could be understood to killing our sinful tendencies in their infancy (p.136).
Key Articles to Read
“Understanding Hebrew Poetry.”
“What about the ‘Cursings’ in the Psalms?”
“Did the ancient Jews believe in life after death?”
Personal Favorite Psalms
(Ps. 4:7) You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.
(Ps. 5:3) In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
(Ps. 6:14-16) Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. 15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. 16 The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.
(Ps. 17:13) Rise up, LORD, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
(Ps. 18:27 NLT) You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.
(Ps. 20:7) Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
(Ps. 25:3) Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed.
(Ps. 27:4) One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.
(Ps. 30:5) His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
(Ps. 31:19) How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.
(Ps. 33:10-11 NLT) The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. 11 But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.
(Ps. 34:8 NLT) Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
(Ps. 34:18) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
(Ps. 36:8) They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.
(Ps. 37:7) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
(Ps. 37:16) Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked.
(Ps. 39:4-7 NLT) LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath. 6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. 7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.
(Ps. 46:10) Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
(Ps. 49:8-9, 15 NLT) Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough 9 to live forever and never see the grave… But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.
(Ps. 49:16-20 NLT) So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. 17 For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. 18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. 19 But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. 20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.
(Ps. 50:12) If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.
(Ps. 50:16-17 NLT) God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? 17 For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash.
(Ps. 55:22) Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
(Ps. 56:3-4 NLT) When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 4 I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
(Ps. 56:8 NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
(Ps. 60:11 NIV) Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
(Ps. 62:1) My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation.
(Ps. 68:5) A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
(Ps. 73:28 NLT) As for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
(Ps. 84:1-2) How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
(Ps. 84:10) Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
(Ps. 89:47-48 NLT) Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence! 48 No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave.
(Ps. 90:12) Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
(Ps. 94:19) When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
(Ps. 103:12-13) As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
(Ps. 111:2) Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
(Ps. 111:7) The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
(Ps. 116:15) Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
(Ps. 118:6) The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
(Ps. 118:8) It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
(Ps. 119:14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
(Ps. 119:18) Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
(Ps. 119:27) Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.
(Ps. 119:32) I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
(Ps. 119:50) My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
(Ps. 119:71) It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
(Ps. 119:86) All your commands are trustworthy.
(Ps. 119:99) I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.
(Ps. 119:102) I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.
(Ps. 119:105) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
(Ps. 119:125) Give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.
(Ps. 119:127) I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold.
(Ps. 119:130) The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
(Ps. 119:131) I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.
(Ps. 119:136 NLT) Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your instructions.
(Ps. 119:147) I have put my hope in your word.
(Ps. 119:155) Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees.
(Ps. 119:160) All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
(Ps. 120:7) I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
(Ps. 123:2 NASB) Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until He is gracious to us.
(Ps. 127:1) Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
(Ps. 129:2-4 NLT) From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me. 3 My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows. 4 But the LORD is good; he has cut me free from the ropes of the ungodly.
(Ps. 130:3-5) LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? 4 But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you. 5 I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.
(Ps. 139:4) Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.
(Ps. 139:16) Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
(Ps. 139:17-18) How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
(Ps. 139:23-24) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
(Ps. 140:12) I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.
(Ps. 143:10) Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
(Ps. 144:3-4) O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him? 4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.
(Ps. 145:18-19) The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
(Ps. 147:11) The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
[1] Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (3rd. ed., Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 487.
[2] Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (3rd. ed., Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 487.
[3] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 48.
[4] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 50.
[5] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 50.
[6] Not everyone who denies the superscriptions are critics. More conservative scholars argue that the preposition “a psalm of David” (leḏāwiḏ) should be rendered “a psalm to David.” That is, these psalms belong to the “Davidic temple.” For example, “the name David itself does not always refer to the founder of the Judean dynasty, but can refer to the Judean people (Isa. 55:3), the Davidic dynasty (Jer. 23:5; Ezek. 37:25), or the expected future ideal Davidic king (Jer. 30:9; Hos. 3:5).” Nancy deClaissé-Walford, Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner, The Book of Psalms, ed. E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 10. That being said, these authors deny the Davidic authorship of Psalm 110 that is found in the superscription, even though this was affirmed by Jesus himself (Mk. 12:36).
[7] Craig Davis, Dating the Old Testament (New York: RJ Communications, 2007), 265.
[8] Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (3rd. ed., Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 488.
[9] Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (3rd. ed., Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 489.
[10] Though, “Psalm 1 is probably an introduction to the entire book of Psalms rather than a part of book 1.” Craig Davis, Dating the Old Testament (New York: RJ Communications, 2007), 308.
[11] David wrote fourteen psalms that connect with events in his personal life (Pss. 3, 7, 18, 30, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63, 142). It would make for a good study to teach through these psalms and align them with David’s life. Another option is to teach 1 and 2 Samuel and study these psalms at the appropriate moments.
[12] Gerald H. Wilson, Psalms, vol. 1, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 21.
[13] Michael Grisanti, The Word and the World: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2011), 852.
[14] Craig Davis, Dating the Old Testament (New York: RJ Communications, 2007), 309.
[15] Craig Davis, Dating the Old Testament (New York: RJ Communications, 2007), 304.
[16] Craig Davis, Dating the Old Testament (New York: RJ Communications, 2007), 310.
[17] I am indebted to one of Waltke’s lectures for his views.
[18] Paul J. Achtemeier, Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature, Harper’s Bible Dictionary (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985), 922.
[19] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 51.
[20] Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (3rd. ed., Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 499.
[21] John Goldingay, Psalms 1-41 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006), p. 22.
[22] This comes from the root words hallal (“praise”) and jah or yah (“God”).
[23] The only exception to this is Psalm 88.