Explaining Psalm 87

A psalmist is a person who writes, sings, or composes psalms—songs or poems of worship, prayer, praise, thanksgiving, repentance, or lament to God.

In the Bible, the Book of Psalms contains 150 psalms, written by several different authors over many centuries. The best-known psalmist is David, who wrote about half of the psalms. Other psalmists include:

• Asaph
• The Sons of Korah
• Moses (Psalm 90)
• Solomon
• Ethan the Ezrahite
• Heman the Ezrahite

The psalmists expressed every aspect of the human heart before God. They wrote:

• Praise when God gave victory.
• Prayers during times of trouble.
• Confessions after sin.
• Cries for justice.
• Songs of trust and hope.
• Thanksgiving for God’s mercy and faithfulness.

The psalmists remind us that God welcomes honest prayer. Whether they were joyful, afraid, discouraged, or thankful, they brought everything to the Lord. Their words continue to encourage believers today because they point us to God’s character, His faithfulness, and ultimately to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

One verse that captures the heart of a psalmist is:

“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1)

A psalmist, therefore, is not merely a poet or musician, but someone whose heart is devoted to glorifying God through words of worship, prayer, and faith.

GOD IS A GOOD GOD

GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES

Written for georgeswebministries

1 July 2026