When was Psalms written?

Psalm 90 is probably the oldest psalm: "A prayer of Moses the man of God". Moses lived in the 15th century BC. Most of the Psalms however have been written at the time of David who introduced the singing in the temple (1 Chron. 25). At the time of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29:25-30) reference is made to that (".according to the commandment of David") and to the Psalms of David and Asaph. These psalms therefore had already been joined to a sort of collection. The last Psalms were written in the days of Ezra (5th century BC). Psalm 137 clearly refers to the Babylonian captivity. According to many researchers it was Ezra, the priest and scribe, himself who completed the final collection of the Psalms (Ezra 3:10).

The Book of Psalms. This inspired collection of sacred songs, and of compositions of various character, has evidently the impress of God upon their arrangement. He selected them, gave them their present shape and form, gave one hundred and sixteen of them those untranslated headings or titles which are rarely read and still less understood. He gave to the whole collection its title, "The Book of Psalms" (Luke 20:42), and caused them to be numbered, too, for more easy reference, as "the Second Psalm" (Acts 13:33). The Psalms are inspired, and their arrangement is Divine. "Selah," that word of so frequent occurrence — about seventy times — signifies to pause or consider. Uniform tradition — Jewish and Christian — ascribes the compilation of the Psalms to Ezra on his return to Palestine after the Babylon-captivity. Human arrangement would have set the Psalms in chronological or historical order; but God has classified them in a manner befitting His glory. Whoever were the authors — and they are numerous (David, of course, principally) — the composition of the whole extended through a period of about a thousand years, commencing with Moses (Psalm 90) and ending with the return from Babylon (Psalm 137).

The Jews — ancient and modern — not only regarded the Psalms as divided into five books, ending respectively with Nos. 41, 72, 89, 106, 150, as a Divine arrangement, but also considered each book to correspond with the separate books of the Pentateuch, having the same distinguishing characteristics. We will in as few words as possible trace the parallelism.

This book evidently stood, and still stands in the Hebrew Bible at the head of the third great division of the Old Testament Scriptures, and so gave its name to it, as appears from the Lord's words summing up that revelation under the three heads of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44). As a book it is unique in character, being made up of compositions by different writers, and ranging over a period of nearly a thousand years ere its contents were all produced, the earliest writer mentioned being Moses (Ps. 90), and the latest certainly not anterior to the Babylonish captivity (Ps. 137). Faith in times of affliction, conflict, and declension, and the outpouring of the heart to God whether in prayer or praise under such circumstances, characterise the compositions. Fitly then may they begin chronologically with Moses, who, as Heb. 11:24-25 would teach us, had to choose whether he would take his part with God's people in affliction, or would enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

Many writers, David chiefly; Ezra, the compiler,

Palestine chiefly. The first chronologically, is the 90th, the last, the 137th (?). The composition of the whole extended through a period of 1,000 years. Ezra, the compiler, on his return from the Babylon captivity about 457 B.C.

The Collection and Arrangement of the Psalms in the Present Form

From the foregoing paragraphs we learn that the known authors of the Psalms are: David, Asaph, the Children of Korah, Moses, Heman, and Ethan. If we take into consideration that other Psalms were written during the exile we see that the authors are centuries apart. The people Israel possessed these Psalms in an uncollected form; they laid about loose, so to speak. Someone at some time collected them in a book, in the form we have them now.

Who did this valuable collecting and arranging of these Psalms we do not know for it is not revealed. But this we can say of certainty that the Hebrew saint who did it was called to do it by the Spirit of God and the very arrangement of these Psalms in the book as we have it now is the perfect work of the Holy Spirit.

Here we clash with the critics who speak of "different editors arranging and re-arranging at different occasions." They claim, for instance, that the statement at the close of Psalm 72 "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended," shows that it is misplaced because other Davidic Psalms come later, and that probably this is the work of some editor, etc. But the phrase at the close of Psalm 72 rather means something different, as we take it. The Seventy-second Psalm reveals the glories of the coming kingdom of Him who is greater than Solomon, and David, getting a glimpse of it, declares: "The prayers of David, my prayers are ended; I have nothing greater to ask, than what this Psalm reveals."

The heading of Psalm 90, attributing its authorship to Moses, should arrest our attention to begin with. It makes it pretty certain that chronologically it is the first of the psalms, being written some hundreds of years before the rest. Moses, the writer, is spoken of not as the prophet or law-giver but as the man of God; and it is a prayer, though we find nothing in the nature of a petition throughout the first eleven verses.

Psalm 90.

It is "A prayer of Moses the man of God." This is the suited introduction and finds its place here rather than in any other among the 150, Historically it would precede all probably; for there is no substantial ground for doubting that Moses was the writer according to its title. Adonai is owned as Israel's dwelling-place in all generations, from everlasting to everlasting El, turning weak man (enosh) to dust, and saying, Return, sons of men (Adam). He is the God of creation and of providence. But faith, that owns man's transient littleness and the power of the divine displeasure, can also say, Return, Jehovah: how long? Their prayer rises that Jehovah's work may appear to His servants; and His majesty on their sons.

The Psalms are commonly spoken of as David's: and properly so; because, though Moses, Ezra, and others may have been the penmen of some of them, David was principally used in them. And beside, David was more rich and varied in his experiences (through the Holy Ghost, the real "master of the Hebrew lyre,") than any of the saints of old. He knew all the sorrows of righteousness and of sin, or the trial of a martyr and a penitent. He knew, too, the varieties of humiliation and of honour. His changeful life gave the Spirit the largest occasion to exercise his soul. And from all this such a book as that of the Psalms would have come forth. And further, the Lord seems to recognize David as the writer of them in Matt. 22:43.

1868 66 There are fifteen psalms bearing the above title. Unlike other psalms bearing titles similar to one another, these are collected together in one (the 5th) book, forming a little series of themselves. Addressed to none of the chief singers, but simply in some cases bearing the names of their authors David and Solomon, we are left in doubt as to the meaning of their general title, "Song of degrees or ascents." Some have supposed they were sung on fifteen steps at the entrance to the temple, and hence their name. Others consider they were a collection of hymns, sung by the Jews in their periodic journeys to Jerusalem on the occasion of their festivals. By some they are supposed to have cheered the returning remnant in the days of Ezra, as they traversed the country between Babylon and Jerusalem. Another suggestion has been made, that the tone in which they were chanted gave rise to their appellation.

This is the title given to fifteen Psalms, Ps. 120 - 134. The word is maalah, and signifies 'going up, ascent,' and is translated, 'stairs, steps, going up.' These Psalms have been grouped together: four are by David, one by Solomon, and the rest are without a name. Scripture does not specify any particular occasion on which they were used. The principal thought in the title being 'a going up' it has been suggested that as all males had to go up to Jerusalem thrice in the year, these may be the songs they sang on their way. The return from captivity under Ezra and Nehemiah is also called 'a going up,' and these Psalms may have been used on that occasion. The Syriac Version heads them 'Songs of ascent from Babylon.' On a still future return to the land the Spirit of God may lead to a similar use of these Songs of Degrees. They represent Israel as in the land, but all opposition not as yet removed.