David as the most common author of the Psalms: he appears in 73 titles, and the NT adds two more (Acts 4:25 for Psalm 2; and Heb. 4:7 for Psalm 95). Other authors include the Sons of Korah (11 psalms), Asaph (12 psalms), Solomon (possibly two psalms), and Moses (one). Other psalms do not identify the author at all.

The Sons of Korah served in the sanctuary (1 Chron. 9:19), and some of them along with Asaph were “in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD” (1 Chron. 6:31). (It is also conceivable that these last two names represent the headwaters of choirs or guilds that bear their names.) Solomon is known for his achievements in “wisdom,” but he also wrote “songs” (1 Kings 4:32), which could include two psalms (Psalm 127, and possibly Psalm 72). Moses provided songs for the whole assembled people

The individual psalms come from diverse periods of Israel’s history: from the time of Moses (15th or 13th century B.C.), to that of David and Solomon (10th century), down to exilic and postexilic times (e.g., Psalm 137). A number of factors clearly indicate that the book of Psalms in its present form is the product of a process of collecting (and possibly of editing) from a variety of sources; such factors include:

• The division into five books and the affinity groupings, e.g., Psalms 1–2; 113–118 (the Egyptian Hallel; see notes on Psalms 113–118); Psalms 120–134 (the Songs of Ascents); and the final Hallelujah of Psalms 146–150 (see discussion of Structure);

• the existence of the almost identical Psalms 14 and 53;

• the notice in 72:20 about the end of David’s prayers (while there are still plenty of Davidic psalms to follow).