A look at the beloved ancient songs of praise, petition, and worship
Three times I’ve tried to write this post.
And three times I’ve had to set it aside.
Every time I tried to offer a clear, thoughtful overview of the Psalms, my words wandered off into stories about times when a line from a psalm has come alive in my life.
At first, I was annoyed.
Why were my words running amok as though they had a life of their own? Then it struck me.
The Psalms are alive!
These timeless poems were never meant to be confined to page. They were meant to be sung, prayed, lamented, and lived with!
Now that I’ve held them still for a fleeting moment, let’s dive into their history and see why they are among the most loved books of the Bible.
What are the Psalms?
Sitting at the center of the Christian Bible, this collection of 150 poems, prayers, and songs offered to God are the heart-cries of ancient Israel.
There isn’t an emotion we can feel that doesn’t echo somewhere in these ancient songs. Joy and despair, gratitude and frustration, anger and repentance, love and longing. Our deepest fears, our greatest victories. The Psalms give voice to them all.
For about 2500 years, the Psalms have played an integral part in Israel’s spiritual and liturgical life, offering a peek at the life of the people of ancient Israel and capturing the way they spoke to God in both joy and sorrow.
What’s even more interesting is that they were written across many centuries!
So when were the Psalms written?
The Psalms were written at different points in Israel’s history.
It’s not possible to date every psalm with certainty. But the oldest psalm in the collection — Psalm 90 — has traditionally been attributed to Moses. This would place it around the 14th or 13th century BCE.
Many of the psalms have bylines, headings, and themes that link them to King David’s reign (around the 10th century BCE).
The later psalms, written before and after Israel’s exile, are generally placed between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. Some scholars say they may have been written even later, perhaps around two centuries before the birth of Christ.
It is difficult to pin down the exact dates of individual psalms. But scholars agree that the psalms were written over a long span of time, likely across a thousand years.
Who wrote the Psalms?
We often associate the Psalms with David. And for good reason. Of the 150 Psalms, 73 carry his name in their headings! While the headings could mean written by, for, or about David, these 73 have been traditionally attributed to him.
But David is not the only poet whose voice we hear in the Psalter.
Solomon is credited with Psalms 72 and 127 and Moses with Psalm 90. Several psalms come from temple singers, musicians, and wise men.
Some of those named in the books are Asaph (12 Psalms), Heman (Psalm 88), Ethan (Psalm 89), and the Sons of Korah (11 Psalms).
That leaves 49 psalms with no listed author. These anonymous poems were likely written by worship leaders, singers, and musicians, each responding to God with praise, petition, lament, or thanksgiving.
How were the Psalms used?
The 150 poems we have today were lovingly collected and compiled into the five books of the Psalms, treasured and prayed with week after week, year after year, generation after generation.
They became a community hymnal: songs of faith, hope, struggle, and praise, woven into Israel’s worship and sung especially during festivals and processions.
The early Church continued this practice. In his letters to the Colossians and the Ephesians, St. Paul urged the people to teach each other and to praise God using psalms.
But the psalms were not just used in communal prayer. Their deeply personal nature made them ideal prayers for everyday life as well.
Perhaps the most striking use of a psalm in personal prayer is seen in Jesus’ own last words: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, NABRE)
This intense cry of anguish we see in Matthew 27 comes straight from Psalm 22.
A prayer book for today
If Jesus used the psalmist’s words, what better reason do we need to use them too?
Thousands of years after they were written, the Psalms still offer a way to speak to God no matter what we’re facing. They give us words when ours fail; hope, when we are in despair; assurance, when we are afraid. They tell of God’s protection, love, and promises.
As we turn the pages of the Psalter, we enter into a real conversation with God. We are invited to come with raw honesty, to bring our whole selves, every emotion, to God in prayer.
If you haven’t spent much time with the Psalms before, choose one that matches what you feel right now. A psalm of gratitude? A psalm for when you’re afraid? Of healing or of trust in God’s protection?
Read it slowly. Let the words settle in your heart. Make them your own, and pour out your heart to the God who loves you more than you could ever know.
In faith,
