Psalm 74 · a question people ask
The title says "A contemplation by Asaph" (74:1). Who was Asaph, and when was this psalm written?
The title says only those words. It gives no date and no occasion, and the psalm names no king. The chapter on Psalm 50 sets out what else Scripture says of a man named Asaph, from 1 Chronicles 15, 16 and 25, and doesn't say whether he is the one the titles name; Psalm 74 adds nothing to that. Contemplation is maskil, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "contemplative poem" and Strong's as "instructive, i.e. a didactic poem"; these notes say no more of it than that. No New Testament verse quotes this psalm or names a writer for it.
The verses
“A contemplation by Asaph. God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?”
“A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.”
“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;”
“Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals. The number of those who did the work according to their service was:”