Psalm 73 · a question people ask
The title says "A Psalm by Asaph" (73:1). Who is Asaph?
The title doesn't say. It reads, "A Psalm by Asaph." (73:1). Psalm 50's title names Asaph too (Psalm 50:1), and Psalm 50's notes take up this question: they set out what 1 Chronicles says of an Asaph (1 Chronicles 15:17, 16:5, 25:1) and say that the title doesn't tell whether that is the Asaph it names. These notes don't repeat it. Psalm 73 is the first of eleven psalms in a row whose titles name Asaph, Psalms 73 to 83 (for example Psalm 83:1). It comes straight after the line "This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse" (Psalm 72:20).
The verses
“A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.”
“A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.”
“So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;”
“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;”