A man or men named Asaph wrote 17 of the psalms in this book (Pss. 73-83). Other writers were the sons of Korah (Pss. 84-85, 87), David (Ps. 86), Heman (Ps. 88), and Ethan (Ps. 89). Asaph, Heman, and Ethan were musicians from the tribe of Levi who were contemporaries of David.
In this psalm Asaph related his inner mental struggle when he compared his life as one committed to Yahweh with the lives of his acquaintances who did not put God first. He confessed discouragement. On further reflection he realized the sinfulness of his carnal longings. Finally he explained that the contrast between these two lifestyles enabled him to keep a proper view of life in perspective.
"This great psalm is the story of a bitter and despairing search, which has now been rewarded beyond all expectation."135
This psalm is similar to Psalm 49. It is a wisdom psalm because of the wise insight it provides for the godly.
The writer appears to have written this psalm after one of Israel's enemies destroyed the sanctuary. The Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C. may be the background. He asked the Lord to remember His people and defeat her enemies as He had in the past for His own glory (cf. Pss. 79; 137; Lam.).
This psalm anticipates a victory in Israel when God as Judge would destroy the wicked and establish the righteous.
In this psalm Asaph praised God for His power. He had destroyed the wicked and delivered the godly. Therefore the leaders of His people should follow Him faithfully.
Asaph described himself as tossing and turning on his bed unable to sleep. He found that meditating on God's deliverance of His people in the Exodus brought him comfort. This led him to ask God to manifest His power for His people again.
This didactic psalm teaches present and future generations to learn from the past, and it stresses the grace of God.
"This could be sub-titled, in view of verses 12 and 68, From Zoan to Zion, for it reviews the turbulent adolescence of Israel from its time of slavery in Egypt to the reign of David. Like the parting song of Moses (Dt. 32) it is meant to search the conscience; it is history that must not repeat itself. At the same time, it is meant to warm the heart, for it tells of great miracles, of a grace that persist through all the judgments, and of the promise that displays its tokens in the chosen city and chosen king."140
In this psalm Asaph lamented Jerusalem's destruction and pleaded with God to have mercy on His people despite their sins for His name's sake (cf. Ps. 74). This Asaph may have lived after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. The writer's viewpoint seems to be that of the survivors left in Jerusalem rather than that of the deportees, which Psalm 137 reflects.
This psalm is a joyful celebration of God's delivering His people. The Israelites probably sang it at the Feast of Tabernacles since it is a review of God's faithfulness and focuses on the wilderness wanderings especially.146The Feast of Tabernacles reminded the Israelites of this period in their history.
Asaph prayed that God would destroy the enemies that threatened to overwhelm Israel as He had done in the past.
This psalm like Psalms 42 and 43 expresses the writer's desire for the Lord's sanctuary. It is one of the pilgrim or ascent psalms that the Israelites sang as they travelled to the sanctuary to worship God (cf. Pss. 120-134). In it the unknown writer declared the blessed condition of those who go to the temple to pray to Yahweh. The sons of Korah were those who arranged and or sang this psalm in Israel's public worship.
An anonymous psalmist thanked God for forgiving and restoring His sinning people. He prayed that God would remove His wrath from them and expressed confidence in the nation's future.
On the basis of God's goodness David asked Him to demonstrate His strength by opposing the proud who exalted themselves against him.
This psalm speaks about the glories of Zion where the temple stood. The presence of God reigning among His people at this site constituted a blessing to them and to all other nations. John Newton's great hymn "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken"is a commentary on this psalm.
This is one of the saddest of the psalms. It relates the prayer of a person who suffered intensely over a long time yet continued to trust in the Lord. Heman was a wise man who was a singer in David's service and a contemporary of Asaph and Ethan (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chron. 15:19; 16:41-42; 25:1, 6). The sons of Korah arranged and or sang this psalm.
The writer of this royal psalm was Ethan, another wise Levitical musician in David's service (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chron. 15:17-18).
The occasion of writing is unclear. Judging from the content of the psalm it appears to have been a time after David had suffered defeat and some severe affliction.
Ethan interceded for the king claiming the Davidic Covenant promises (cf. 2 Sam. 7:5-16; 1 Chron. 17). Why was God afflicting David so severely since He had promised to bless him so greatly? Ethan called on God to honor the Davidic Covenant and send the king relief.
