 Despite some scholarly criticisms of his conclusions, Goulder has been described as "a renowned leader in the study of the Hebrew Psalter".Educated at Eton followed by Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took a degree in classics, he was ordained in Hong Kong by Bishop Ronald Hall, having gone out there originally in pursuance of secular employment.Having not received any formal theological training, he returned to England and studied under Austin Farrer at Trinity College, Oxford, while serving a curacy at the university church.