PSALMS, BOOK OF, a book of the Old Testament. It was the praise book or psalter of the Hebrew temple or syna gogues. In the present Hebrew Bibles it is usually placed just after the Proph ets at the head of the Hagiographa, and in Luke xxiv: 44, is generally supposed to stand for that division of the Old Testament books. The 150 psalms are arranged in Hebrew in five books, each terminating with a doxology, in some cases closing with "Amen and amen." The revised version prints them separ ately. All but 34 psalms have titles in the Hebrew Bible; the latter were called by the rabbis orphan psalms. In the Septuagint all but two have titles. Though not as a rule accepted as part of Scripture, they are ancient, and worthy of high respect. They attribute all book 1 to David, except Ps. i., ii., x., and xxxiii. The name of the Supreme Being used in this book is chiefly Jeho vah. Book 2 assigns Psalms to David, to Korah, to Asaph, and to Solomon, and leaves others anonymous. The
name for the Supremo Being in this book is Et.oxim (q. v.). Book 3 ascribes Psalms to David, to Korah, to Asaph, to Ethan, and to Ileman the Ezrahite. Elohim and Jehovah are about equally common in the book, the former, how ever, being apparently preferred. Book 4 ascribes Psalm xc. to Moses, the others not anonymous to David. Book 5 leaves many psalms anonymous, attributing others to David. The Hebrew Bible, but not the Septuagint, assigns Ps. cxxvii. to Solomon. This volume contains the Songs of Degrees. The book was evi dently brought together from many sources. The book of Psalms is quoted or alluded to as an inspired composition by Our Saviour and His apostles at least 70 times; no Old Testament book is more frequently quoted. Its canonical au thority has never been seriously doubted. It has become the psalter of the Chris tian Church.