AncientWord

Title:
This Psalm is ascribed to David as his own composition (though it is outside the number), when he fought in single combat with Goliath.

Verse 1.
I was small among my brothers,
and the youngest in my father’s house;
I shepherded my father's sheep.

Verse 2.
My hands made a harp;
my fingers fashioned a lyre.

Verse 3.
And who will tell my Lord?
The Lord Himself, it is He who hears.

Verse 4.
He sent His messenger and took me from my father's sheep,
and anointed me with the oil of His anointing.

Verse 5.
My brothers were handsome and tall,
but the Lord did not take pleasure in them.

Verse 6.
I went out to meet the Philistine,
and he cursed me by his idols.

Verse 7.
But I drew his own sword from him,
and I cut off his head with it,
and I removed the disgrace from the children of Israel.

Translator Notes & Context

• "Outside the number" means it's not part of the standard 150 Psalms in the Masoretic Text. It was an appendix psalm in the Septuagint.

• “My hands made a harp”: A reference to David’s musical skills, tying him to his psalmist identity.

• “Who will tell my Lord?”: This line emphasizes that David was unknown to men, but known to God.

• "He sent His messenger": This refers to Samuel, who anointed David in 1 Samuel 16.

• "Removed the disgrace from Israel": Connects to 1 Samuel 17:26 — David asks, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

Comparison to the Hebrew (Dead Sea Scrolls – 11QPs-a)

In the Dead Sea Scrolls, Psalm 151 appears as two separate psalms:

• Psalm 151A corresponds to vv. 1–5 above.

• Psalm 151B corresponds to vv. 6–7.

 The Hebrew version is longer, more detailed, and adds:

• More emphasis on God's election of David over his brothers,

• Language about the Spirit of the Lord resting upon David.

The Hebrew has clearer poetic structure and appears more cohesive, which suggests the Septuagint version may have shortened or simplified it.

Theological Importance

• This psalm showcases God’s sovereign choice of the unlikely — a major biblical theme:

  “Man looks on the outward appearance, but YHWH looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

• It elevates David’s personal relationship with God, as one chosen in secret and vindicated in public — themes that later Messianic interpretations pick up.

• Early Christians, seeing Jesus as the Son of David, could easily connect this with:

  • Jesus’ humble origins,

  • His anointing (Luke 4),

  • His victory over evil (like David over Goliath).