Did David Write A Psalm After Slaying Goliath?

Psalm 151 is considered an apocryphal section of the Old Testament, meaning that it exists outside the canon of Scripture — those writings that the church, down through time, consider to be the inspired Word of God.  We cannot be sure that David wrote it, although the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls makes it a little more likely.  For many years scholars doubted that Psalm 151 existed as Hebrew text (it was only found in the Greek version of the Old Testament, the Septuagint).  But two short psalms found in the Dead Sea Scrolls seem to be, according to many scholars, the basis for Psalm 151 in the Greek.

Here is a modern English version of Psalm 151 (New Revised Standard Version):

This psalm is ascribed to David as his own composition (though it is outside the number), 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.

4It was he who sent his messenger

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,

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.

If David did write this, then from a literary perspective, it is not his best work.  Nothing wrong with it, but compared, say, to Psalm 23 or 51, it’s plain.  Also, there is no mention of the stones and sling — only that he beheaded Goliath with the giant’s own sword.  But this doesn’t make it inaccurate, and it doesn’t mean the piece isn’t worthy of reflection.

I went out to meet the Philistine, and he cursed me by his idols …

This is certainly a Davidic view of what transpired.  The inspired text of scripture tells us that David — perhaps alone among the Israelites, including King Saul — thought of this challenge from God’s perspective.  It didn’t matter who Goliath was or how tall he stood.  It didn’t matter that he would have made Andre the Giant look like Oliver Twist.  What mattered was

“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel, 17:47)

So was this something that David wrote which didn’t, in God’s providence, carry the full authority of Scripture?  Was it something that a later scribe tried his skills on, and figured “I’ll say David wrote it — that will give it some attention.”  Who knows.  It is worth remembering though, that a great big lug with a sword, a potty mouth and a bunch of idols is no match for a young, small sheepherder who has faith in the one true God.

– Bobby Gilles