Psa 50:1 | KD | STEP | With the preceding Psalm the series of the Korahitic Elohim-Psalms of the primary collection ( ) closes. There are, reckoning and as one Psalm, seven of them ( ). They form the principal group of the Korahitic Psalms, to which the third book furnishes a supplement, bearing in part an Elohimic ( ) and in part a Jehovic impress ( ; ). The Asaphic Psalms, on the contrary, belong exclusively to the Elohimic style of Psalms, but do not, however, all stand together: the principal group of them is to be found in the third book ( ), and the primary collection contains only one of them, viz., Ps 50, which is here placed immediately after Ps 49 on account of several points of mutual relationship, and more especially because the prominent Hear then, My people ( ), is in accord with the beginning of Ps 49, Hear, all ye peoples. According to , the whole of the thirty-eight thousand Levites were divided by David into four divisions (24,000 + 6000 + 4000 + 4000). To the fourth division (4000) was assigned the music belonging to divine worship. Out of this division, however, a select company of two hundred and eighty-eight singers was further singled out, and divided into twenty-four classes. These last were placed under three leaders or precentors ( Sangmeister ), viz., fourteen classes under Heman the Kehathite and this fourteen sons; four classes under Asaph the Gersonite and his four sons; and six classes under Ethan (Jeduthun) and his six sons (1 Chr. 25, cf. :17ff.). The instruments played by these three leaders, which they made use of on account of their clear, penetrating sound, were the cymbals ( ). Also in , where Asaph is described as the chief (הראשׁ) of the sacred music in the tent where the Ark was placed, he strikes the cymbals. That he was the chief, first leader, cannot be affirmed. The usual order of the names if “Heman, Asaph, and Ethan.” The same order is also observed in the genealogies of the three in 1 Chron 6:16-32. Heman takes the prominent place, and at his right hand stands Asaph, and on his left Ethan. History bears witness to the fact that Asaph was also a Psalm-writer. For, according to , Hezekiah brought “the words of David and of Asaph the seer” into use again in the service of the house of God. And in the Book of Nehemiah, , David and Asaph are placed side by side as ראשׁי המּשׁררים in the days of old in Israel. The twelve Psalms bearing the inscription לאסף are all Elohimic. The name of God יהוה does not occur at all in two (Ps 77, ), and in the rest only once, or at the most twice. Side by side with אלהים, אדני and אל are used as favourite names, and especial preference is also given to עליון. Of compounded names of God, אל אלהים והוה (only besides in ) in the Psalter, and אלהים צבאות in the Old Testament Scriptures generally (vid., Symbolae , pp. 14-16), are exclusively peculiar to them. So far as concerns their contents, they are distinguished from the Korahitic Psalms by their prophetically judicial character. As in the prophets, God is frequently introduced as speaking; and we meet with detailed prophetical pictures of the appearing of God the Judge, together with somewhat long judicial addresses (Ps 50; ; ). The appellation החזה, which Asaph bears in , accords with this; notwithstanding the chronicler also applies the same epithet to both the other precentors. The ground of this, as with נבּא, which is used by the chronicler of the singing and playing of instruments in the service of the house of God, is to be found in the intimate connection between the sacred lyric and prophecy as a whole. The future visionary character of the Asaphic Psalms has its reverse side in the historical past. We frequently meet with descriptive retrospective glances at facts of the primeval history ( ; Psa 77:15., ; ; ), and Ps 78 is entirely taken up with holding up the mirror of the ancient history of the nation to the people of the present. If we read the twelve Psalms of Asaph in order one after the other, we shall, moreover, observe this striking characteristic, that mention is made of Joseph and the tribes descended from him more frequently than anywhere else ( ; , Psa 78:67., ; Psa 80:2.). Nor is another feature less remarkable, viz., that the mutual relationship of Jahve to Israel is set forth under the figure of the shepherd and his flock rather than any other ( ; 77:21; , ; ; ). Moreover these Psalms delight in other respects to vary the designations for the people of God as much as possible. In Ps 50, , we have before us a peculiar type of Psalms. The inscription לאסף has, so to speak, deep-lying internal grounds in its support. But it does not follow from this inscription that all these Psalms were composed by the aged Asaph, who, as shows, lived until the early part of Solomon’s reign. The outward marks peculiar to Asaph were continued in his posterity even into the period after the Exile. History mentions Asaphites under Jehoshaphat ( ), under Hezekiah ( ), and among the exiles who returned (Ezr 2:41, cf. Ezr 3:10, one hundred and twenty-eight Asaphites; , cf. , a hundred and forty-eight of them). Since down to the period after the Exile even the cymbals (מצלתּים) descended to them from their ancestor, the poetic talent and enthusiasm may also have been hereditary among them. The later “Psalms of Asaph,” whether composed by later Asaphites or some other person, are inscribed לאסף because, by whomsoever, they are composed in the style of Asaph and after Asaphic models. Ps 50, however, is an original Psalm of Asaph. After the manner of the prophets the twofold truth is here advanced, that God has no delight in animal sacrifice without the sacrifice of prayer in which the heart is engaged, and that the confession of His word without a life that accords with His word is an abomination to Him. It is the very same fundamental thought which is expressed in ; Psa 69:31., Psa 51:18., and underlies ( ) and ; they are all echoes of the grand utterance of Samuel ( ), the father of the poetry of the Psalms. It cannot surprise one that stress is laid on this denunciation of a heartless service of works by so many voices during the Davidic age. The nothingness of the opus operatum is also later on the watchword of the prophets in times when religious observances, well ordered and in accordance with legal prescription, predominate in Judah. Nor should it seem strange that Asaph the Levite, who was appointed to the sanctuary on Zion, expresses himself thus; for Jeremiah was also a Levite and even a priest ( cohen ), and yet no one has spoken a bolder, and more cutting word against the outward and formal service of sacrifice than he (Jer 7:22.). Both these objections being removed, there is nothing else that stands in the way of our ascribing this Psalm to Asaph himself. This is favoured by echoes of the Psalm in the prophets (cf. with , and the verse-ending , , with ), and there is nothing opposed to it in the form of the language.

‏ Psalms 50:1

Divine Discourse concerning the True Sacrifice and Worship

With the preceding Psalm the series of the Korahitic Elohim-Psalms of the primary collection (Psa 1:1) closes. There are, reckoning Psa 42:1-11 and Psa 43:1-5 as one Psalm, seven of them (Psa 42:1). They form the principal group of the Korahitic Psalms, to which the third book furnishes a supplement, bearing in part an Elohimic (Psa 84:1-12) and in part a Jehovic impress (Psa 85:1-13; Ps 87:1-88:18). The Asaphic Psalms, on the contrary, belong exclusively to the Elohimic style of Psalms, but do not, however, all stand together: the principal group of them is to be found in the third book (Psa 73:1), and the primary collection contains only one of them, viz., Ps 50, which is here placed immediately after Ps 49 on account of several points of mutual relationship, and more especially because the prominent Hear then, My people (Psa 50:7), is in accord with the beginning of Ps 49, Hear, all ye peoples.

According to 1Ch 23:2-5, the whole of the thirty-eight thousand Levites were divided by David into four divisions (24,000 + 6000 + 4000 + 4000). To the fourth division (4000) was assigned the music belonging to divine worship. Out of this division, however, a select company of two hundred and eighty-eight singers was further singled out, and divided into twenty-four classes. These last were placed under three leaders or precentors (Sangmeister), viz., fourteen classes under Heman the Kehathite and this fourteen sons; four classes under Asaph the Gersonite and his four sons; and six classes under Ethan (Jeduthun) and his six sons (1 Chr. 25, cf. Psa 15:1-5 :17ff.). The instruments played by these three leaders, which they made use of on account of their clear, penetrating sound, were the cymbals (1Ch 15:19). Also in 1Ch 16:5, where Asaph is described as the chief (הראשׁ) of the sacred music in the tent where the Ark was placed, he strikes the cymbals. That he was the chief, first leader, cannot be affirmed. The usual order of the names if “Heman, Asaph, and Ethan.” The same order is also observed in the genealogies of the three in 1 Chron 6:16-32. Heman takes the prominent place, and at his right hand stands Asaph, and on his left Ethan. History bears witness to the fact that Asaph was also a Psalm-writer. For, according to 2Ch 29:30, Hezekiah brought “the words of David and of Asaph the seer” into use again in the service of the house of God. And in the Book of Nehemiah, Neh 12:46, David and Asaph are placed side by side as ראשׁי המּשׁררים in the days of old in Israel.

The twelve Psalms bearing the inscription לאסף are all Elohimic. The name of God יהוה does not occur at all in two (Ps 77, Psa 82:1-8), and in the rest only once, or at the most twice. Side by side with אלהים, אדני and אל are used as favourite names, and especial preference is also given to עליון. Of compounded names of God, אל אלהים והוה (only besides in Jos 22:22) in the Psalter, and אלהים צבאות in the Old Testament Scriptures generally (vid., Symbolae, pp. 14-16), are exclusively peculiar to them. So far as concerns their contents, they are distinguished from the Korahitic Psalms by their prophetically judicial character. As in the prophets, God is frequently introduced as speaking; and we meet with detailed prophetical pictures of the appearing of God the Judge, together with somewhat long judicial addresses (Ps 50; Psa 75:1-10; Psa 82:1-8). The appellation החזה, which Asaph bears in 2Ch 29:30, accords with this; notwithstanding the chronicler also applies the same epithet to both the other precentors. The ground of this, as with נבּא, which is used by the chronicler of the singing and playing of instruments in the service of the house of God, is to be found in the intimate connection between the sacred lyric and prophecy as a whole. The future visionary character of the Asaphic Psalms has its reverse side in the historical past. We frequently meet with descriptive retrospective glances at facts of the primeval history (Psa 74:13-15; Psa 77:15., Psa 80:9-12; Psa 81:5-8; Psa 83:10-12), and Ps 78 is entirely taken up with holding up the mirror of the ancient history of the nation to the people of the present. If we read the twelve Psalms of Asaph in order one after the other, we shall, moreover, observe this striking characteristic, that mention is made of Joseph and the tribes descended from him more frequently than anywhere else (Psa 77:16; Psa 78:9, Psa 78:67., Psa 81:6; Psa 80:2.). Nor is another feature less remarkable, viz., that the mutual relationship of Jahve to Israel is set forth under the figure of the shepherd and his flock rather than any other (Psa 74:1; 77:21; Psa 78:52, Psa 78:70-72; Psa 79:13; Psa 80:2). Moreover these Psalms delight in other respects to vary the designations for the people of God as much as possible.

In Ps 50, Psa 73:1, we have before us a peculiar type of Psalms. The inscription לאסף has, so to speak, deep-lying internal grounds in its support. But it does not follow from this inscription that all these Psalms were composed by the aged Asaph, who, as Psa 78:69 shows, lived until the early part of Solomon’s reign. The outward marks peculiar to Asaph were continued in his posterity even into the period after the Exile. History mentions Asaphites under Jehoshaphat (2Ch 20:14), under Hezekiah (2Ch 29:13), and among the exiles who returned (Ezr 2:41, cf. Ezr 3:10, one hundred and twenty-eight Asaphites; Neh 7:44, cf. Neh 11:22, a hundred and forty-eight of them). Since down to the period after the Exile even the cymbals (מצלתּים) descended to them from their ancestor, the poetic talent and enthusiasm may also have been hereditary among them. The later “Psalms of Asaph,” whether composed by later Asaphites or some other person, are inscribed לאסף because, by whomsoever, they are composed in the style of Asaph and after Asaphic models. Ps 50, however, is an original Psalm of Asaph.

After the manner of the prophets the twofold truth is here advanced, that God has no delight in animal sacrifice without the sacrifice of prayer in which the heart is engaged, and that the confession of His word without a life that accords with His word is an abomination to Him. It is the very same fundamental thought which is expressed in Psa 40:7-9; Psa 69:31., Psa 51:18., and underlies Psa 24:1-10 (Psa 1:1) and Psa 15:1; they are all echoes of the grand utterance of Samuel (1Sa 15:22), the father of the poetry of the Psalms. It cannot surprise one that stress is laid on this denunciation of a heartless service of works by so many voices during the Davidic age. The nothingness of the opus operatum is also later on the watchword of the prophets in times when religious observances, well ordered and in accordance with legal prescription, predominate in Judah. Nor should it seem strange that Asaph the Levite, who was appointed to the sanctuary on Zion, expresses himself thus; for Jeremiah was also a Levite and even a priest (cohen), and yet no one has spoken a bolder, and more cutting word against the outward and formal service of sacrifice than he (Jer 7:22.). Both these objections being removed, there is nothing else that stands in the way of our ascribing this Psalm to Asaph himself. This is favoured by echoes of the Psalm in the prophets (cf. Psa 50:2 with Lam 2:15, and the verse-ending Psa 50:8, Psa 38:18, with Isa 49:16), and there is nothing opposed to it in the form of the language.