Psalm 119 - Author

In studying Psalm 119, a logical question comes to mind. Who is the author? He is not named or identified. If the author were known, would there be additional insight or help from the psalm due to understanding the circumstances of the author's life?

There is a widely held assumption that the author was David. Jewish tradition holds that belief pretty firmly. David clearly loved God and the Word, so the content fits. He is attributed with authoring the largest number of psalms, so statistically speaking, he is a good guess. He did write other psalms of an acrostic nature, so style is not a question. Many of David's psalms clearly identify him as the author; this one does not, but there are other psalms that are also believed to be David's although they do not bear his name. So could David be the author? Possibly.

Another common suggestion is Ezra. As a scribe, he would have been in the right position to be familiar with the Word and have affection for it. As someone involved in promoting revival after Israel's captivity, it is a fitting topic for him. He is traditionally credited with writing Ezra and the Chronicles, so it is not shocking to consider him as a Bible author. His education would likely have qualified him for writing poetry. The support for a later author, perhaps during the captivity, seems to revolve around the wickedness of people mentioned in the psalm, those who opposed the psalmist. These do appear to be God's people rather than the heathen, suggesting the later years of Israel's decline. Certainly, however, the failure of God's people was not limited to this time frame. Could Ezra be the author? Perhaps.

The final two suggestions are entirely my own. I wonder at the possibility that Asaph may have been the author. His identified psalms are 50 and 73-83, so he did author a significant amount of Biblical content. As I read Asaph's psalms, I see a man of great passion. He is a man with great internal depth which he is not afraid to express. He is a man who feels things deeply, something that the author of Psalm 119 does as well. He is also a man of ups and downs. He experiences struggles, but he consistently brings himself back to truth in answer to those struggles. He is a man who talks about his spiritual journey, which is precisely what Psalm 119 records. Based on this passionate heart and transparency, could Asaph be the author? Maybe.

Next, I suggest Heman as a possibility. He is the author of Psalm 88, which describes a desperate man whose life is on the brink of ruin due to his walking away from God. In the psalm, he begs God for help and appears ready to start a new chapter of his life in which he intends to pursue God. Several verses in Psalm 119 would fit this scenario. Verse 8 asks that he not be forsaken utterly, as if he is a man who feels forsaken, and in that context aspires to be blessed like those who keep God's ways. He speaks of reproach (v. 39) and shame (v. 6) in relation to God's commandments, and indicates that perhaps his way has not always been pure (v. 9). I believe there is some likelihood that the psalm is written by a relatively young man (at the beginning) who has never tried to walk in God's ways before, but after personal revival is turning his life around and aspires to do so for the first time. Could this psalm be the sequel to Heman's Psalm 88? Not out of the question.

Finally, it is entirely possible that none of these is the correct answer. It would not be unlike God to use an unknown author, someone who never received public recognition. After all, this spiritual journey is open to anyone, not just to those who are well-known or who experience some position of advantage. Perhaps the psalm is written by an ordinary Jew, someone who early in his life had the awareness to make some thoughtful observations. He saw those who were ahead of him, some of whom had fallen from God's ways and others who had not. As he considered their lives and the consequences of their choices, he aspired early in life to follow God and to walk in the way of blessing. The psalm then is a record of his journey. Could Psalm 119 be written by a common, obscure author? Definitely.

In the end, God did not choose to reveal the author's identity, and it doesn't matter. I believe the anonymity allows any reader to identify with the psalm. If the author were known, it would be easy to distance oneself from the scenario. Someone could day, "After all, I'm not a king or a scribe or a musician." Or, on the other hand, "I've never walked away from God." With no identified author, the psalm is universally relevant.

The truth is that the journey described in Psalm 119 could have happened in any of the scenarios listed above. It could be true of a David, a man after God's own heart, who earnestly seeks God. It could be true of an Ezra, a servant of God who is burdened for the backslidden people around him and resolved that he will remain faithful. It could be true of an Asaph, a man with genuine desire to follow God, but who constantly faces the battle of focusing on truth in times of struggle. It could be true of a Heman, who in spite of past failure, is determined for the first time to follow God. It could be true of an unnamed young man who is making choices that will shape the rest of his life.

God can do a work in any of these lives. He can lead each of these believers through progressive stages of maturity, so that they reach of point of spiritual success and blessing. As with this psalmist, God's work is not limited to the subject himself. As the believer is unashamed of sharing his story and living his testimony before others, observers can be encouraged and challenged in their own lives. It is not perfection, but passion, that inspires others. A heart hungry for God and dedicated to Him is a great tool God uses to promote growth among His people.

"O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97 (NASB)