Who Wrote the Psalms?

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…” If you haven’t heard these opening verses of Psalm 23 at church or read them in the Bible, chances are you’ve heard them at a hospital bedside or graveside at a funeral. It is one of the many (and probably most well-known) psalms written by King David to show love and honor to the Lord. It is found among the 150 psalms in the Bible, penned by various authors. But what is a psalm and what purpose did they serve? Who else besides King David wrote them? How can they impact our lives today? These are the kinds of questions we’ll explore as we dive deeper into the Psalms—who wrote them, why they were written, and how they continue to shape our worship and walk with God today.

What Are the Psalms?

The Psalms are a collection of ancient Hebrew writings that include poems, songs, and prayers. They were written by multiple authors for different reasons, and are different lengths (the shortest being Psalm 117 which is only two verses; the longest being Psalm 119, which is also the longest chapter in the Bible). Based on who wrote them and the themes they cover, it is believed that the earliest psalm was written by Moses around 1500 BC, and others penned through the 5th century BC when they were compiled into one book.

The way the psalms are organized is very significant. According to the Bible Project, “ In the period after Israel’s exile to Babylon, these ancient songs were gathered together with many other Hebrew poems and intentionally arranged into the book of Psalms. The entire work has a unique design and message that you won’t notice unless you read it beginning to end.”

In her article, “Who Actually Wrote Psalms?”Jeannie Myers writes, “If there is a unifying theme in the Book of Psalms, it is praise for God, for His goodness and power and justice and mercy and majesty and love. Almost all the Psalms, even the angriest and most sorrowful, offer praise to God by the last verse. By example or by direct instruction, the psalmists encourage the reader to join them in worship.”

Did King David Write All the Psalms?

Only 73 of the 150 psalms are attributed to King David, who was both a poet and musician. As mentioned, likely his most popular psalm is Psalm 23, in which he talks about the Lord being his Shepherd. This metaphor would have come naturally to David who was a young shepherd himself before he was anointed as King. The references to how a good shepherd protects and loves his sheep would have been very comforting to him, as they are to us who study this psalm today. When we read, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4), we can’t help but be consoled by our Good Shepherd as well.

Another psalm written by King David is Psalm 51 which addresses his repentance and plea for restoration from God. The background to the psalm is that King David lusted after a woman named Bathsheba and had his soldiers bring her to him, despite the fact that she was married. He impregnated her and then had her husband killed to try to cover up his sin. He then married Bathsheba, but, because of his sin, the baby born to Bathsheba did not survive, despite David’s supplication. David then penned Psalm 51 which begins, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:1-2).

We know that David wrote these 73 psalms because we read a heading before his psalms, such as “A psalm of David.” Some also say “For the director of music. Of David. A psalm,” likely meaning that these were set to music and sung to the Lord. In other cases we see “a maskil of David,” which was a more specific psalm about imparting wisdom, since “maskil” comes from a word that means “to instruct” or “to make wise.”

Who Were the Other Psalmists Besides David?

Since King David only wrote 73 psalms, and one is attributed to Moses, who wrote the other 76? Again, if we look at the headings of the other psalms we will see that the additional authors included:

King Solomon, David’s son, wrote Psalm 72 and 127.
Asaph–12 psalms.
The Sons of Korah–11 psalms.
Other worship leaders in the temple, including men named Heman and Ethan, each wrote one.
Anonymous–49 psalms are not attributed to their author(s).

What Do We Know About These Other Writers?

Moses was used by God to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and then lead the people into the wilderness where God would teach them how He expected them to live. His was a tumultuous life, especially the wilderness years. He wrote Psalm 90 which recognizes God’s power over the days of each person (who will return to dust), and the rebellion of Israelites in the wilderness. Moses’ reverence and fear because of their sins is palpable when he writes, “We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.” At the end, he pleads for God’s favor and direction for the lives of the Israelites.

King Solomon was the son of King David who is noted for his wisdom and for building a temple for the Lord in Jerusalem (prior to that, the spirit of the Lord would travel with the Israelites in a nomadic tabernacle). God also appeared to Solomon in a dream, promising him whatever he wished. He asked for wisdom, and was known for being the wisest man in Israel (2 Chronicles 1:7). Unfortunately, he was also famous for having 700 wives and 300 concubines (which was not the wisest decision). In Psalm 72, Solomon writes of himself and asks God to give him blessing and power that only God can supply. Psalm 127 has a very different tone. Its five verses sound more like Proverbs with statements such as, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

Asaph was a Levite who was appointed by King David to be the director of choral music in the temple (1 Chronicles 16:4-6), and many in his family comprised the temple choir. Asaph performed the same musical duties for King Solomon when he was in power. Myers adds that “In the 12 psalms credited to him, Asaph returns again and again to the theme of God’s justice. Many are songs of lament, voicing great sorrow and distress and pleading for God’s help. Yet Asaph also expresses confidence that God will judge rightly, and justice will be done in the end.”

Heman was also a singer/musician and grandson of the prophet Samuel. He was appointed by King David as another choir leader in the temple (1 Chronicles 15:17). Heman was also considered “the king’s seer in matters of God” (1 Chronicles 25:5) to whom God had given 14 sons and three daughters who also sang in the temple. He was also a Levite and the author of Psalm 88, a very sorrowful lament in which he cries out to God in his suffering, feeling abandoned by God.

Ethan the Ezrahite (a Levite) served both King David and King Solomon and was said to have been nearly as wise as Solomon. He wrote Psalm 89, which contrasts greatly with Psalm 88. It speaks of the “steadfast love of the Lord” and his faithfulness to His covenant with His people. But then it turns toward David and what feels like God’s abandonment of him as he asks, “How long, Lord?” Yet Ethan still completes the psalm with “Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.”

The Sons of Korah were the descendants of Korah, a man who led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, questioning their Levitic authority. God was so enraged at this rebellion against God and his appointed leaders that He opened up the earth and swallowed Korah and others who sided with him. Myers writes, “The Bible does not tell us the age of Korah’s three sons when this tragic event occurred. It seems they were either wise enough not to follow their father in his rebellion or too young to be involved (Numbers 26:8-11). Either way, Korah’s descendants took a much different path than their father.” His descendants wrote psalms 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, 87, and 88 (as mentioned, 88 was written by Heman, a “son” of Korah). The tone of these psalms exudes joy, respect, trust, and worship of God, showing that they had much more reverence than their ancestor Korah.

Anonymous authors are a mystery. They could have been written by any of the above who chose not to attach their name to it, or perhaps this information was lost before the psalms were collected together. Nevertheless, their writings help us express the full range of human emotion and lead us in worship of our God.

How Are the Psalms Grouped or Attributed in Scripture?

The Bible Project notes, “While there are many different types of poems in the book, they can all be sorted into two larger categories of either lament or praise. Poems of lament express the poets’ pain, confusion, and anger surrounding the horrible things happening around them or to them.” In terms of psalms of praise, “these are poems of joy and celebration that draw attention to what’s good in the world. They retell stories of what God has done in the lives of his people, and they thank him for it.”

It’s been theorized that the first two psalms are an introduction or a “gateway” to the rest of the collection. In Psalm 1 we read that whoever delights in the law of the Lord is blessed, and the Lord watches over the way of such righteous people. In Psalm 2 we hear of nations plotting against God’s “Anointed One” which may allude to King David, or further to the “Son” who is also mentioned as one who will bless those who take refuge in Him. So while one talks of the law, the other speaks of God’s redemption and new covenant, setting the stage for all that is written in the rest of the book of Psalms.

It’s also interesting to note that the Psalms are divided into five “books,” and that books 1-3 contain more poems of lament than praise. Books 4 and 5 are more praise-oriented and hopeful, focusing on the coming Messiah. The last five psalms, 146-150, are all worshipful, each starting with the call to “Praise the Lord.”

How the Psalms Still Resonate with Us Today

I don’t know many Christians who don’t regularly refer to the psalms in personal prayer moments. One can identify with every element of human emotion expressed in them, and they make a great form for prayer when they are read back to God. What is so wonderful to learn is that Jesus and his disciples (and other faithful followers of the One True God) would have memorized and recited or sung these same psalms. In fact, many of them are prophecies about Jesus.

As we are about to celebrate Holy Week, I will make a specific point of studying Psalm 22, which begins with the words Jesus utters while on the cross, bearing the sins of the world: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and goes on to prophesy about what Jesus would suffer and how those who crucified him would “divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment” (vs. 18).

It makes me realize that He would have memorized this psalm years before His crucifixion–and may have even recited it with His disciples–being the only One who knew who it was referring to. And when He recited its first verse from the cross, He was drawing viewers’ attention to the entire psalm and the prophecy being fulfilled before their very eyes.

It resonates with me, especially when I go through a time of suffering, that Jesus didn’t complain and didn’t lose His trust in His Father, even though He knew what was coming. This humbles me and causes me to pour out every ounce of gratitude that I have because of all that He did to earn my salvation. I will hear this psalm in church on Good Friday, and like every other year, I will sob in awe and wonder.

This is the power of the psalms--to resonate with the full gamut of human emotions. They provide a space for us to give full and honest expression to God, whatever we are going through, and they are just as relevant today as they were during the time of Moses or David.

Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).