When Was the Book of Psalms Written?

Historically the individual psalms were written over a period of about 1,000 years, from the time of Moses (c. 1400 BC) to the Israelites’ return from exile (c. 450 BC).

There is no definitive indication of the person or persons responsible for compiling and ordering the psalms in the form of the book, though it seems likely that the bulk of this work was undertaken by an editor after the return from Babylon.

The central implication of this distinction is that Psalms, particularly the royal psalms, must be read from this postexilic perspective when there was no Davidic king on the throne. As a result, the psalms are to be read not looking back at past kings of Israel but forward to the coming of the anticipated son of David, the messianic King.