Authorship and Origin of the Psalms (Biblical)

Although they bear the stamp of gifted poets such as David, the Psalms are conventional worship texts, adapted to the needs of the community as a whole. The prophetic voice that often speaks in the Psalms reflects their development through the work of the Levitical musicians of the sanctuary. The book of Psalms is customarily associated with the name of David, though less than half of the Psalms (seventy-three) bear his name in their superscription or introductory note; of these, fourteen are related by their superscription to events in the life of David. Other names that appear are those of Asaph (twelve), the sons of Korah (twelve), Solomon (two), Heman (one), Ethan (one), and Moses (one). A third of the Psalms have no such attribution. The meaning of the expression lDavid in the superscription has occasioned much debate; some exegetes are of the opinion that it does not mean "by David" but "for David," that is, for the use of the Davidic ruler, whether for David himself or for o…