Question Of the Day Of the Word Of God!

Question of the Day of the Word Of God! How Many Years Did It Take For The Next Book two of the Psalms to Be Written?

Psalms

After What Scripture

Probable Occasion on Which Each Psalm was Composed B.C. 1 Neh 13:3 Written by David or Ezra, and placed as a preface to the Psalms 444 2 1Ch 17:27 On the delivery of the promise by Nathan to David-a prophecy of Christ's kingdom 1044 3 2Sa 15:29 On David's flight from Absalom 1023 4 2Sa 17:29 During the the flight from Absalom 1023 5 2Sa 17:29 During the the flight from Absalom 1023 6 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 7 2Sa 16:14 On the reproaches of Shimei 1023 8 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 9 1Sa 17:4, or 1Ch 16:43 On the victory over Goliath 1063 10 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 11 1Sa 19:3 When David was advised to flee to the mountains 1062 12 1Ch 28:1 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 13, 14, 15 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 16 1Ch 17:27, or 1Sa 27 On the delivery of the promise by Nathan to David 1044 17 1Sa 22:19 On the murder of the priests by Doeg 1060 18 2Sa 22:51 On the conclusion of David's wars 1019 19 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 20, 21 2Sa 10:19 On the war with the Ammonites and Syrians 1036 22 1Ch 17:27 On the delivery of the promise by Nathan; or in sever persecution 1044 23, 24 1Ch 28:21, or 1Ch 16:43 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 25, 26, 27 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 28, 29 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 30 1Ch 21:30 On the dedication of the threshing-floor of Araunah 1017 31 1Sa 23:12 On David's persecution by Saul 1060 32, 33 2Sa 12:15 On the pardon of David's adultery 1034 34 1Sa 21:15 On David's leaving the city of Gath 1060 35 1Sa 22:19 On David's persecution by Doeg 1060 36, 37 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 38, 39, 40, 41 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 42 2Sa 17:29 On David's flight from Absalom 1023 43 2Sa 17:29 On David's flight from Absalom 1023 44 2Ki 19:7 On the blasphemous message of Rabshekeh 710 45 1Ch 17:27 On the delivery of the promise by Nathan 1044 46 2Ch 20:26 On the victory of Jehoshaphat 890 47 2Ch 7:10 On the removal of the ark into the temple 1004 48 Ezr 6:22 On the dedication of the second temple 515 49, 50 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 51 2Sa 12:15 Confession of David after his adultery 1034 52 1Sa 22:19 On David's persecution by Doeg 1060 53 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 54 1Sa 23:23 On the treachery of the Ziphims to David 1060 55 2Sa 17:29 During the flight from Absalom 1023 56 1Sa 21:15 When David was with the Philistines in Gath 1060 57 1Sa 24:22 On David's refusal to kill Saul in the cave 1058 58 1Sa 24:22 Continuation of Ps. 57 1058 59 1Sa 19:17 On Saul surrounding the town of David 1061 60 1Ki 11:20 On the conquest of Edom by Joab 1040 61 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 62 2Sa 17:29 In David's persecution by Absalom 1023 63 1Sa 24:22 Prayer of David in the wilderness of Engedi 1058 64 1Sa 22:19 On David's persecution by Saul 1060 65 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 66 Ezr 3:13 On laying the foundation of the second temple 535 67 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 593 68 2Sa 6:11 On the first removal of the ark 1045 69 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 70, 71 2Sa 17:29 On Absalom's rebellion 1023 72 1Ch 29:19 On Solomon being made king by his father 1015 73 2Ki 19:19 On the destruction of Sennacherib 710 74 Jer 39:10 On the destruction of the city and temple 588 75, 76 2Ki 19:35 On the destruction of Sennacherib 710 77 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 593 78 1Ch 28:21, or 2Ch 19:56 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 79 Jer 39:10 On the destruction of the city and temple 588 80 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 81 Ezr 6:22 On the dedication of the second temple 515 82 2Ch 19:7 On the appointment of judges by Jehoshaphat 897 83 Jer 39:10, or 2Ch 20 On the desolation caused by the Assyrians 588 84 Ezr 3:13 On the foundation of the second temple 535 85 Ezr 1:4 On the decree of Cyrus 536 86 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 87 Ezr 3:7 On the return from the Babylonish captivity 536 88 Exd 2:25 During the affliction in Egypt 1531 89 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 90 Num 14:45 On the shortening of man's life, etc. 489 91 1Ch 28:10 After the advice of David to Solomon 1015 92, 93 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 94 Jer 39:10 On the destruction of the city and temple 588 95 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 96 1Ch 16:43 On the removal of the ark from Obed-edom's house 1051 97, 98, 99, 100 2Ch 7:10 On the removal of the ark into the temple 1004 101 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 102 Dan 9:27 On the near termination of the captivity 538 103 2Sa 12:15 On the pardon of David's adultery 1034 104 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 105, 106 1Ch 16:43 On the removal of the ark from Obed-edom's house 1051 107 Ezr 3:7 On the return from the captivity 536 108 1Ki 11:20 On the conquest of Edom by Joab 1040 109 1Sa 22:19 On David's persecution by Doeg 1060 110 1Ch 17:27 On the promise by Nathan to David 1044 111, 112, 113, 114 Ezr 3:7 On the return from the captivity 536 115 2Ch 20:26 On the victory of Jehoshaphat 896 116, 117 Ezr 3:7 On the return from the captivity 536 118 1Ch 17:27 On the promise by Nathan to David 1044 119 Neh 13:3 Manual of devotion by Ezra 444 120, 121, 122 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 123 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 124 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 125 Ezr 3:7 On the return from the captivity 536 126 Ezr 1:4 On the decree of Cyrus 536 127, 128 Ezr 3:7 On the return from the captivity 536 129 Ezr 4:24 On the opposition of the Samaritans 535 130 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 131 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 132 1Ch 15:14 On the second removal of the ark 1051 133 1Ch 28:21 Inserted toward the end of David's life 1015 134 Ezr 3:7 On the return from the captivity 536 135, 136 2Ch 7:10 On the removal of the ark into the temple 1004 137 Dan 7:28 During the Babylonish captivity 539 138 Ezr 6:13 On the rebuilding of the temple 519 139 1Ch 13:4 Prayer of David when made king over all Israel 1048 140 1Sa 22:19 On David's persecution by Doeg 1060 141 1Sa 27:1 Prayer of David when driven from Judea 1055 142 1Sa 22:1 Prayer of David in the cave of Adullam 1060 143 2Sa 17:29 During the war with Absalom 1053 144 2Sa 17:29 On the victory over Absalom 1053 145 1Ch 28:10 David, when old, reviewing his past life 1015 146, 147, 148, 149, 150 Ezr 6:22 On the dedication of the second temple 515

The book of Psalms is the longest book of the Bible, with 150 “chapters”—more properly called “psalms” or “songs.” Psalms is divided into five books:

Book 1: Psalms 1—41 Book 2: Psalms 42—72 Book 3: Psalms 73—89 Book 4: Psalm 90—106 Book 5: Psalm 107—150

It is uncertain why Psalms is divided into five books. Some sources, including Jewish Midrash traditions, suggest the five-fold division is based on the five books of the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy). The division of the Psalms is not based on authorship or chronology, as several authors composed Psalms, and their individual songs are mixed throughout the various collections.

David is listed as the author of 73 psalms, Asaph of 12, and the sons of Korah of 11. Other psalms were written by Solomon, Heman the Ezrahite, Ethan the Ezrahite, and Moses (Psalm 90). The earliest extant copy of Psalms is from the Dead Sea Scrolls from about the first century AD. That copy shows that the division into five books extends to at least that time and certainly earlier.

It is most likely that Ezra and/or other Jewish religious leaders compiled the Psalms into their existing order during Ezra’s lifetime in the fourth century BC. Interestingly, the Psalms was one of the most popular writings among the Dead Sea Scrolls, with thirty scrolls of all or parts of the book included. Overall, Psalms is the book of the Old Testament with the most Hebrew manuscripts available for research, indicating its enduring popularity among both Jews and Christians.

Each of these five books or sections of Psalms ends with a doxology or a song of praise. The final verse of each concluding psalm includes either “Praise the Lord!” or “Amen.” For example, the final verse of Psalm 41 ends this way: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, / from everlasting to everlasting. / Amen and Amen.” Psalm 150, the final Psalm, serves as the fitting final doxology, concluding with the words, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. / Praise the Lord.”