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Superscriptions to the Psalms e.g. Psalm 51

Vanellus

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Do forum members think these are inspired like the rest of the Bible? Were they written at the same time or later?

Mostly they are fairly innocuous e.g. a Psalm of Asaph but sometimes we have something far more detailed e.g. psalm 51 "For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba."

The problem here is that the psalm ends with two verses which seem exilic i.e. centuries later than the time of David:

May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Though Solomon did build walls round Jerusalem after David's death there's nothing about David wanting to build up the wall before his death or during his reign.

Any ideas on this psalm 51 and the superscriptions: no mention of Bathsheba/Nathan/Uriah so there's nothing specific in the body of the psalm that ties it in to the superscription except for the lament of repentance - not unique to David!

And given there was no temple in David's time where was the "altar"?
 
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