“He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to extol, thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel.” I Chronicles 16:4-5
In my grandson’s senior year he received an award at the end of the year. It was an award that the school had never presented before. When the department head presented the award she said she looked for an appropriate person in the Bible that exemplified the characteristics that my grandson had demonstrated. She picked a man that at least half the audience on that day had never
heard of, a man named Asaph.
There are several men named Asaph in Scripture. The one we want to study is a man who lived in the days of Kings David and Solomon. From 1 Chronicles 6:39 we learn that Asaph was the son of Berekiah, a member of the Levites. He was set apart by God to serve God for his whole life. He is among those listed as chosen by David to be a minister of music at the Tabernacle until Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem.
We learn several things from Asaph. First, his name mans gatherer or collector. One of Asaph’s talents was to involve others into the worship of the Lord.
Second, we read that Asaph was a skilled musician. 2 Chronicles 29:30 says “King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshiped.” From 1 Chronicles 16:4-7 we know Asaph was skilled in the use of the cymbals where he performed in the Tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant resided.
Third, we know Asaph was a seer (a prophet). As a student of God’s word Asaph wanted to use his talent of music to communicate God’s message to the world. We are told in I Chronicles 16:4 that Asaph was
appointed by King Davis to “minister before the ark of the Lord, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel.”
Fourth, we learn that Asaph’s children followed in his footsteps. Four of Asaph’s sons served under him and participated in the dedication of the Temple (2 Chron 5:12). The “sons of Asaph” are mentioned as choristers in the Temple (1 Chron 25:1; 2 Chron 20:14).
Finally, we learn that Asaph was a song writer. Psalms 50 and 73-83 were written by Asaph. By reading these psalms we gain great insight into the desires of his heart and the struggles he faced. Asaph focused much of his writing on the themes of God as judge, the administer of justice, and the deliverer of His people. Asaph knew God’s word and he applied it to the times he lived in. Remember David’s reign was full of warfare and he was not allowed by God to build His temple. Asaph saw that and wrote often of God’s judgment on sin and wickedness Just as Enoch did before the flood, Asaph proclaim warnings of coming judgment. Many say Asaph’s psalms are more laments than other psalms. They reflect the times they were written. Asaph had a Godly view of sin and evil and its affront to God. His desire was for men to repent and for sin to be punished from off the earth. One writer stated his style this way. “Asaph writes of the people of God trying to hold onto the promises of God. He is concerned about wrestling with the reality of living in a fallen world. At times it looks to Asaph as if everything is upside down. He sees the enemies of God prospering. Asaph cries to God in these times when he does not understand what is happening. But his psalms are profoundly hopeful. He knows God makes “all things right.” Thus we see in Asaph’s psalms a mark of a true believer – he endures even through the hard times, the times when what God’s word says and what is happening in the world don’t make sense.
What can we learn? Asaph was a Godly and talented man but he did not have all the answers. When we read his songs (psalms) we see his struggles but he also shows us how worship leads us back to the source of trust. Asaph’s questions never cause him to deny God, instead they lead him to worship Him. Thus the leader of worship
for all Israel knew that true worship –that came from the heart and was based on God’s truth was essential to live in a time filled with evil. His songs of worship are for us in the times we live.