Psalm 151

following Psalm 150 in the Greek Bible

Canonical Status, Ancient Versions, and Date of Composition

Psalm 151 is the final psalm in the book of Psalms in the Greek Septuagint (LXX), but it does not appear in the Masoretic Text that underlies the Jewish and Protestant Bibles. One manuscript of the Septuagint contains a postscript to Psalm 151 that reads “the 151 Psalms of David,” thus attributing the entire collection to King David. Other Septuagint manuscripts, however, contain a superscription to the psalm that indicates it is “outside the number” (of 150 psalms). A more expansive version of Psalm 151 was discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls toward the end of the long psalms scroll from Cave 11 (11Q5). The Qumran Hebrew version comprises two distinct psalms with four additional verses, referred to as Psalm 151A and 151B, each with its own superscription. The psalm also appears in somewhat expanded form as the first of five additional psalms in the Syriac translation. Psalm 151 is part of the canon of Orthodox churches and is included in the Apocrypha.

Psalm 151 was likely composed no later than the third century bce when the exact content and ordering of psalms were not yet fixed in a single book. Such fluidity in form and content suggest that the psalms were largely used, memorized, and transmitted orally.

Contents

In contrast to the final psalms of the canonical Psalter (146–150), which offer an intensification of praise to the Lord (Hallelujah), Psalm 151 provides a first-person account by King David. The psalm makes explicit reference to incidents from David's youth as described in 1 Samuel 16–17. Verses 1 and 4b–5 of the psalm form a unit that focuses on the unexpected nature of the divine choice of David as the youngest son and on his musical gifts. Verses 6–7 shift attention to David's victory over Goliath.

Judith H. Newman

This psalm is ascribed to David as his own

composition (though it is outside the number^a), after he

had fought in single combat with Goliath.

¹I was small among my brothers,

  and the youngest in my father's house;

I tended my father's sheep.

²My hands made a harp;

  my fingers fashioned a lyre.

³And who will tell my Lord?

  The Lord himself; it is he who hears.^b

⁴It was he who sent his messenger^c

  and took me from my father's sheep,

  and anointed me with his anointing oil.

⁵My brothers were handsome and tall,

  but the Lord was not pleased with them.

⁶I went out to meet the Philistine,^d

and he cursed me by his idols.

⁷But I drew his own sword;

  I beheaded him, and took away disgrace from the people of Israel.

1: The youngest, cf. 1 Sam 16.11; 17.14. 2: David's ability to play the lyre allowed him to soothe Saul's “evil spirit” (1 Sam 16.14–23; 18:10). Such musical ability was closely associated with the gift of poetry in antiquity and likely contributed to David's reputation as the author of the psalms. The Qumran version (11Q5 28.5) amplifies this verse: “so I have given glory to the Lord, I said to myself.” 4: His messenger, specified in 11Q5 28.8 as the prophet Samuel; see 1 Sam 16.1–13. 6–7: The focus of the psalm shifts to David's feat of slaying the Philistine Goliath (1 Sam 17). Idols, see 1 Sam 17.43. On Israel's subjugation by Goliath as a disgrace, see Sir 47.4.

^a Other ancient authorities add of the one hundred fifty (psalms)

^b Other ancient authorities add everything; others add me; others read who will hear me

^c Or angel

^d Or foreigner