"Play it again, Sam."
"Whom have I in heaven but You?And earth has nothing I desire besides You.My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heartand my portion forever."
So much wisdom, truth and power tucked into the words of the Psalms. In some ways, the biblical songs touch me far deeper than the narrative. There's so much left unsaid in the narrative - thoughts, emotions, motives and numerous details we have to guess it. I like getting into the heart and mind of the people in the story. The psalms do that for me. Of course, it's even better still in those rare occasions throughout scripture when songs are interwoven with narrative so you can understand both action and intention.
We know so little about Asaph, who's credited with several of the psalms in this reading. From 1 Chronicles 6:39 and 2 Chronicles 29:30, we know he is a Levite, one of David's choir leaders and, like David, has a talent in music and as a "seer."
Ironically, having said I enjoy the poetry more than narrative (aren't I a mess of contradictions? Yes? No?), I can't help but wonder about the back story to the 73rd Psalm. Is Asaph speaking from experience, something that happened to him, or in answer to a complaint or question? My vote is speaking from experience and a truth he discovered for himself. Perhaps he doubted God because of how nonbelievers appeared to succeed while he failed. Did his selection to the king's choir answer his doubts? Or did this happen after he rose to his position in the king's court? I've learned that circumstances seldom determine how we see things really. Life is good or bad, independent of our circumstances and dependent on our point of view. We seldom see how good we have it or what a good God we have.
Play it again, Asaph.
I have a few questions for Asaph someday.
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