Psalm 50 · a question people ask
The title says "A Psalm by Asaph" (50:1). Who is Asaph?
The title doesn't say. It reads, "A Psalm by Asaph." (50:1), and this is the first psalm whose title names him; the name comes again in the titles of Psalms 73 to 83 (for example Psalm 73:1 and 83:1). 1 Chronicles names an Asaph among the Levites appointed as singers: "So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah" (1 Chronicles 15:17), and "So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of bronze to sound aloud" (1 Chronicles 15:19). Among the Levites appointed "to minister before the LORD’s ark" (1 Chronicles 16:4) it names "Asaph the chief" (1 Chronicles 16:5), and later "the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals" (1 Chronicles 25:1). The psalm's title doesn't say whether that is the Asaph it names, and these notes don't say it either.
The verses
“A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.”
“A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.”
“A song. A Psalm by Asaph. God, don’t keep silent. Don’t keep silent, and don’t be still, God.”
“He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the LORD’s ark, and to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;”