David's Singers

Psalm 42

A song to gain understanding, from the Korachites

Psalm 42/43 will be the main psalm we will focus on to better understand our soul and how to take good care of her. But first we have to get to know the Korachites who wrote it.

The Levites and David

The exodus from Egypt to the promised land was led by Moses, Miriam and Aaron from the tribe of Levi. Korach was a cousin of them who raised a rebellion because he too wanted to be a priest. But he was burnt to death when trying to sacrifice on the altar. Nevertheless, his descendants were given the honor to guard the gates of the sanctuary (first the tabernacle of tents and later the temple of stone) and the management of its operations.

David assigned a descendant from Korach, Heman, as a worship leader in the sanctuary, together with two other Levites: Asaph and Jeduthun, together with their sons. The family of Heman, the Korachites, are credited with twelve psalms (42-49, 84-85, 87-88), with Heman mentioned as co-author of psalm 88. Another twelve psalms are attributed to Asaph (50 and 73-83). Jeduthun (assumed to be longer form of the name Ethan) is associated with psalms 39, 62 and 89; he is the recipient of psalm 77. These Levites could not become priests like the descendants of Aaron, but David gave them a different priesthood: they could offer their music and song as a glorious sacrifice for the Lord. He confirmed the musicians whom they had put forward: Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman.

We have read how David brought back the ark in the books of Samuel. That same story is retold later (after the Babylonian exile) in the books of Chronicles, but now from the perspective of the Levites, with far more interest in the operations of the temple and the role of the singers.

Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman, the Korachite

I Chronicles 15

David built a palace for himself in the City of David and prepared a place for the ark of God by setting up a tent for it. Then he declared that only the Levites could carry the ark of God, for the LORD had appointed them to carry his ark and serve him forever.
Then he gathered all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. He summoned the descendants of Aaron and the Levites (...) and said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared. For because you were not there last time, the wrath of the LORD our God was unleashed against us. We did not consult the LORD as prescribed."
The priests and Levites consecrated themselves to carry the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in the name of the LORD. David also commanded the heads of the Levite families to appoint their relatives who were skilled in singing, accompanied by musical instruments, harps, lyres, and cymbals.

The Levites appointed Heman, Asaph, and Ethan [or: Jeduthun]. They were assisted by their relatives, the gatekeepers. The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan played the bronze cymbals, one group of relatives played the harps tuned to a high pitch, and the others the lower-pitched lyres. One Levite, Kenaniah, was in charge of the procession; he was entrusted with this responsibility because of his expertise. Two others guarded the ark. The priests went before the ark of God, blowing trumpets.

So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands set out to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom with great celebration. And while the Levites carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD with God's help, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. David was dressed in a linen ephod, as were the Levites who carried the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah, who led the procession of singers. David also wore a linen priestly robe. With shouts of joy and the sound of horns, all Israel brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD, while the trumpets and cymbals sounded and the harps and lyres played.

When the ark entered David's palace, Michal, Saul's daughter, was watching from her window. She saw King David dancing and leaping, and her heart was filled with contempt.

*

I Chronicles 16

The ark of God was placed in the tent that David had set up, and burnt offerings and peace offerings were made to God. Afterward, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD. He distributed bread, dried dates, and raisins to all the Israelites, both men and women.

(...) On that day David commanded Asaph and his relatives to sing the praises of the LORD as follows:

“Praise the LORD, call out his name,
make known his deeds among the nations,
sing and play for him,
speak of his wonders,
boast of his holy name.
(...)
Say to the nations, "The LORD is king."
Let the sea roar, with all that lives in it,
let the fields rejoice and all that grows in them,
and let the trees sing for joy before the LORD,
for He is coming, as judge of the earth.
(...)

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from age to age."

And all the people answered, "Amen!" and "Praise the LORD!"

So David appointed Asaph and his relatives to minister daily before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, according to the regulations for each day. He entrusted the guard duty to Obed-Edom and Hosa and their relatives, sixty-eight gatekeepers; Obed-Edom was a son of Jeduthun.

Zadok and the other members of the priestly family were appointed to the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place of Gibeon. There they were to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering every morning and evening, and to perform all the other duties prescribed in the law that the LORD had given to Israel. Heman and Jeduthun and other officially appointed persons were to praise the LORD there with the words, "His faithfulness endures forever." They, Heman and Jeduthun, kept the trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments used to make music for God. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the gate.

After this, everyone went home. David also went home to bless his family and servants.

Asaph's response

It's hard to overestimate the importance of the events. In the days of the judges, the sanctuary of the LORD stood in Shiloh, in the land of the tribe of Joseph's son Ephraim, the leading tribe of Israel. But the high-priest Eli died there after his son's had seen the Philistines take the holy Ark of the Covenant. Now, David established a new sanctuary in the city of Jerusalem, among the tribe of Judah. And he expands the role of the Levites. A grateful Asaph sings about it in psalm 78:59-72:

God abandons Shiloh and it treasured Ark is lost to Israel's enemies

When God heard [about Israel's corruption and idolatry], He was angry
and cast Israel far from Him.
He abandoned His dwelling place in Shiloh,
the tent where He lived among the people.

He let His mighty Ark be carried away,
surrendered His treasure to the enemy,
and gave His strong men over to the sword.
He was angry with His own possessions.

Fire consumed his young men,
his young women were not celebrated,
his priests perished by the sword,
his widows found no more tears.

God chooses Jerusalem and David

The Lord awoke as if from sleep,
like a warrior from the intoxication of wine,
He drove back his attackers,
covering them with eternal shame.

He rejected the tent that stood with Joseph,
He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
no, He chose the tribe of Judah,
He loves Mount Zion.
He built his sanctuary, high as the heavens,
and established it as the earth, forever.

His choice fell on David, his servant,
He called him away from the sheepfold,
took him from behind the nursing ewes
and made him shepherd of Jacob, his people,
of Israel, his own possession.
He was a shepherd with a pure heart,
with a steady hand he led them.

David will not build a temple for God

David brought the tent sanctuary and the Ark to Jerusalem and wants to build a beautiful stone temple for the LORD. A magnificent wonder of the world. Everyone loved the idea. Everyone, that is, but one. "Will you build me a house?" God reacted, "I will build your house, your dynasty."

I Chronicles 17

After David had moved into the palace, he said to the prophet Nathan, "Now I live in a palace made of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is housed in a tent."

"Do whatever your heart tells you," Nathan replied, "for God is with you."

But that same night God spoke to Nathan: "Tell my servant David,

'This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build the house where I will live. I have never lived in a house since the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until now! I have moved from place to place in a tent and a tabernacle. I have moved about in a tent and a tabernacle. Have I ever asked any of the judges of Israel, whom I appointed to shepherd my people, to build me a house of cedar?

Now therefore, tell my servant David,

‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture to be the shepherd of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. I will assign a territory to my people Israel. There I will plant them, and there they will live in safety. They will no longer be tormented by wicked nations, as they were when they first settled there and I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies. I tell you that the LORD will build a house for you: When your life is over and you are reunited with your ancestors, I will have one of your own descendants succeed you and give him a lasting kingdom. He will build a house for Me, and I will ensure that his throne never wavers. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me, and I will never take my favor away from him as I did from your predecessor. I will establish him forever in my house and in my kingdom, and his throne will never be shaken.”

*

David had to let go of his ambition to build that beautiful temple. He could make the designs, collect the funds, organize the Levites and the builders, but he had to leave the building of the temple to the next generation. This was not about him, or his ambition and pride. It was about God and his people.