What does psalmist mean?
A psalmist is a sacred poet: someone who writes, composes, or traditionally associated with the authorship of psalms. Its best-known application is to the biblical figure David, to whom many of the Psalms are traditionally attributed, although the Psalms are understood by scholars to come from several authors and periods. The word is not restricted to authorship in the strictest sense; it can also evoke a writer of religious, devotional, or morally serious verse. For example, a description of someone as “a modern psalmist” suggests that their poetry draws on the language, imagery, and spiritual authority of the Psalms. The term carries a distinctly religious and elevated tone. It is less common than the everyday words poet or songwriter but useful when the specific subject matter or form of sacred poetry is central to the description.
nounA person who writes or composes psalms, especially a sacred poet credited with the Psalms in the Bible. The term may also refer more generally to an author of religious or devotional songs.
- A person who writes or composes psalms, especially one credited with the biblical Psalms.
"The psalmist turned the nation's grief into a prayer of consolation."
"The scholar compared the language of the psalmist with that of other ancient Hebrew poets."
"In the concert programme, each psalmist introduced a newly composed setting of a sacred text."
Used when referring to more than one sacred poet or composer of psalms.
"Theologists debate how the psalmists shaped the traditions represented in the Psalter."
The word that made David famous also became a title for sacred poets across many languages.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does psalmist come from?
The word entered English through Greek and Latin. Its immediate Greek source, psalmistēs, was formed from psalmos, meaning “song” or “psalm,” with a suffix denoting an agent or specialist. English psalm itself comes through Latin psalmus from the same Greek word. Related forms such as psalter, psaltery, and psalmody preserve this shared association with sung or recited sacred poetry.
How psalmist is actually used
In religious contexts, the term often refers specifically to David or to the collective authors of the biblical Psalms. It can also be used more broadly, and sometimes reverently, for a poet who writes devotional verse.
Easily confused with psalmist
A psalm is a sacred poem or song, whereas a psalmist is the person who writes or performs such a poem.
A psalmist composes psalms, while a psalmodist primarily sings or chants them.