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The Five Books of Psalms

How the Psalter is arranged, who wrote it, and how each book closes in praise

Act 5 · Age of Israel · LawChartPsalms 1–150
“Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!”Psalm 150:6 — WEB
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All 150 Psalms at a Glance

Each square is one psalm, colored by the author its title names. A dot marks a Messianic psalm from the list below. Every book ends with a doxology, a closing burst of praise, and Psalm 150 closes the whole collection.

The 150 Psalms in Five BooksEach square is one psalm, arranged in the five books of the Psalter and colored by the author named in its title: David, Asaph, the sons of Korah, others (Solomon, Moses, Ethan), or no author named. Book I Psalms 1–41 Doxology 41:13 Psalm 1 · no author named 1 Psalm 2 · no author named Psalm 3 · David Psalm 4 · David Psalm 5 · David Psalm 6 · David Psalm 7 · David Psalm 8 · David Psalm 9 · David Psalm 10 · no author named 10 Psalm 11 · David Psalm 12 · David Psalm 13 · David Psalm 14 · David Psalm 15 · David Psalm 16 · David Psalm 17 · David Psalm 18 · David Psalm 19 · David Psalm 20 · David 20 Psalm 21 · David Psalm 22 · David Psalm 23 · David Psalm 24 · David Psalm 25 · David Psalm 26 · David Psalm 27 · David Psalm 28 · David Psalm 29 · David Psalm 30 · David 30 Psalm 31 · David Psalm 32 · David Psalm 33 · no author named Psalm 34 · David Psalm 35 · David Psalm 36 · David Psalm 37 · David Psalm 38 · David Psalm 39 · David Psalm 40 · David Psalm 41 · David 41 Book II Psalms 42–72 Doxology 72:18–20 Psalm 42 · sons of Korah 42 Psalm 43 · no author named Psalm 44 · sons of Korah Psalm 45 · sons of Korah Psalm 46 · sons of Korah Psalm 47 · sons of Korah Psalm 48 · sons of Korah Psalm 49 · sons of Korah Psalm 50 · Asaph 50 Psalm 51 · David Psalm 52 · David Psalm 53 · David Psalm 54 · David Psalm 55 · David Psalm 56 · David Psalm 57 · David Psalm 58 · David Psalm 59 · David Psalm 60 · David 60 Psalm 61 · David Psalm 62 · David Psalm 63 · David Psalm 64 · David Psalm 65 · David Psalm 66 · no author named Psalm 67 · no author named Psalm 68 · David Psalm 69 · David Psalm 70 · David Psalm 71 · no author named Psalm 72 · Solomon 72 Sons of Korah Book III Psalms 73–89 Doxology 89:52 Psalm 73 · Asaph 73 Psalm 74 · Asaph Psalm 75 · Asaph Psalm 76 · Asaph Psalm 77 · Asaph Psalm 78 · Asaph Psalm 79 · Asaph Psalm 80 · Asaph 80 Psalm 81 · Asaph Psalm 82 · Asaph Psalm 83 · Asaph Psalm 84 · sons of Korah Psalm 85 · sons of Korah Psalm 86 · David Psalm 87 · sons of Korah Psalm 88 · sons of Korah & Heman Psalm 89 · Ethan 89 Asaph Book IV Psalms 90–106 Doxology 106:48 Psalm 90 · Moses 90 Psalm 91 · no author named Psalm 92 · no author named Psalm 93 · no author named Psalm 94 · no author named Psalm 95 · no author named Psalm 96 · no author named Psalm 97 · no author named Psalm 98 · no author named Psalm 99 · no author named Psalm 100 · no author named 100 Psalm 101 · David Psalm 102 · no author named Psalm 103 · David Psalm 104 · no author named Psalm 105 · no author named Psalm 106 · no author named 106 Yahweh reigns Book V Psalms 107–150 Doxology 150 Psalm 107 · no author named 107 Psalm 108 · David Psalm 109 · David Psalm 110 · David 110 Psalm 111 · no author named Psalm 112 · no author named Psalm 113 · no author named Psalm 114 · no author named Psalm 115 · no author named Psalm 116 · no author named Psalm 117 · no author named Psalm 118 · no author named Psalm 119 · no author named Psalm 120 · no author named 120 Psalm 121 · no author named Psalm 122 · David Psalm 123 · no author named Psalm 124 · David Psalm 125 · no author named Psalm 126 · no author named Psalm 127 · Solomon Psalm 128 · no author named Psalm 129 · no author named Psalm 130 · no author named 130 Psalm 131 · David Psalm 132 · no author named Psalm 133 · David Psalm 134 · no author named Psalm 135 · no author named Psalm 136 · no author named Psalm 137 · no author named Psalm 138 · David Psalm 139 · David Psalm 140 · David 140 Psalm 141 · David Psalm 142 · David Psalm 143 · David Psalm 144 · David Psalm 145 · David Psalm 146 · no author named Psalm 147 · no author named Psalm 148 · no author named Psalm 149 · no author named Psalm 150 · no author named 150 Songs of Ascents Hallel Final Hallel

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DavidAsaphSons of KorahSolomon, Moses, EthanNo author named
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Who Wrote the Psalms?

Counts come from the titles (superscriptions) at the head of each psalm. Psalm 88 names both the sons of Korah and Heman, so it is counted under each.

Authors named in the psalm titlesDavid is named in 73 psalm titles, 50 psalms name no author, Asaph 12, the sons of Korah 11, Solomon 2, and Moses, Heman and Ethan one each. David 73 No author named 50 Asaph 12 Sons of Korah 11 Solomon 2 Moses 1 Heman 1 Ethan 1
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The Messianic Psalms

The New Testament quotes these psalms as speaking of Jesus. Psalms 72 and 89 also look ahead to the Son of David’s kingdom (Psalm 89:3–4; Psalm 72:8).

PsalmThemeQuoted in
Psalm 2:7“You are my son”Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5
Psalm 16:10His body would not see decayActs 2:27; Acts 2:31
Psalm 22:1“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Matthew 27:46
Psalm 22:18Lots cast for His clothingJohn 19:24
Psalm 45:6–7“Your throne, God, is forever”Hebrews 1:8–9
Psalm 69:9Zeal for God’s houseJohn 2:17
Psalm 110:1“Sit at my right hand”Matthew 22:44; Hebrews 1:13
Psalm 110:4A priest forever after MelchizedekHebrews 5:6
Psalm 118:22The rejected stone becomes the cornerstoneMatthew 21:42; Acts 4:11

Notes & Sources

  1. Author counts are taken from the psalm titles as printed in the World English Bible. The titles are part of the Hebrew text.
  2. Book II ends with “This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse” (Psalm 72:20), though more psalms by David appear later. The note likely marks the close of an earlier collection.
  3. Jewish tradition compares the five books of Psalms to the five books of Moses (Midrash Tehillim on Psalm 1).
  4. Psalms 42–83 are often called the “Elohistic Psalter” because they mostly use the name God (Elohim) where the rest of the Psalter uses Yahweh.

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