The Book of Psalms

Introduction to Psalms The Book of Psalms is really five books combined, with the final psalm of each book closing with a doxology, a word of praise to God. They were Israel’s hymnal with a strong theological content. Hebrew poetry differs from ours in that we know poetry as primarily having rhyme and rhythm, whereas Hebrew poetry has a parallelism of ideas, sometimes comparative, sometimes contrasting and sometimes completing the idea of the previous line. Nearly half the psalms were written by David, with another twelve written by Asaph, the Head of David’s choir, twelve for the sons of Korah, just two by Solomon, one each by Heman and Ethan the Ezrahites, and one by Moses. Forty eight psalms are anonymous.