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Psalm 83 · a question people ask

The title says "A song. A Psalm by Asaph." (83:1). Who was Asaph, and when was this psalm written?

In the text

The title says only those words. It gives no date and no occasion, and the psalm names no king. Psalm 83 is the last psalm whose title names Asaph; the others are Psalm 50 and Psalms 73 to 82 (Psalm 50:1, 73:1). 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 83 adds nothing to that. No New Testament verse quotes this psalm or names a writer for it.

The verses

“A song. A Psalm by Asaph. God, don’t keep silent. Don’t keep silent, and don’t be still, God.”
Psalm 83:1 · World English Bible
“A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.”
Psalm 50:1 · World English Bible
“A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.”
Psalm 73:1 · World English Bible
“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;”
1 Chronicles 16:4-5 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 83

Psalm 83: God, don't keep silent

Psalm 83 asks God not to be quiet three ways in one line, with three Hebrew words (83:1). Its enemies want "the name of Israel" remembered no more (83:4), and it prays against them with the stories of Judges (83:9-11). But it ends asking that they "seek your name" (83:16) and know the one "whose name is the LORD" (83:18): name, shem, three times.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions