19 Psalms -- Overall structure

<p>According to respected sources such as the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), the Hebrew text and the British and American Revised Versions group the Psalms into five books:</p>

<ol>

<li>Ps 1-41</li>

<li>Ps 42-72</li>

<li>Ps 73-89</li>

<li>Ps 90-106</li>

<li>Ps 107-150</li>

</ol>

<p>ISBE, "At the end of Book II appears a subscript which is significant in the history of the Psalter. It is said in Psalm 72:20: 'The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.' It would seem from this note that the editor who appended it meant to say that in his collection he had included all the psalms of David known to him. Singularly enough, the subscript is attached to a psalm ascribed to Solomon. Psalm 51-70, however, lie near at hand, all of which are attributed to David. Psalm 71 is anonymous, and Psalm 72 might possibly be considered a prayer for Solomon. There is a further difficulty in the fact that the Second Book of Psalms opens with nine poems ascribed to the sons of Korah and to Asaph. It is a very natural conjecture that these nine psalms were at one time united with Psalm 73-83. With these removed, it would be possible to unite Psalm 51-70 with Book I. Then the subscript to Psalm 72 would be a fitting close to a roll made up of psalms ascribed to David. It is impossible at this late date to trace fully and accurately the history of the formation of the Psalter."

</p>

<p>Some students of Hebrew poetry, noting a common use of the "middle" of a poem to convey the main point, take special note of the text of a middle verse, which can vary depending on the method of organizing the 150 psalms which comprise the psalter. For example, the middle verse (8b) of the middle psalm (81) of the middle book (book 3) of the psalter, (ESV) "Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!"</p>