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Sons of Korah
[Bible]The sons of Korah were the descendants of Korah, a member of the Kohathite family of the tribe of Levi. Although their ancestor Korah was judged for rebelling in the wilderness, his descendants survived and later served as singers and gatekeepers in the temple, and their name appears in the titles of eleven psalms.
Korah
[People]Korah was a Levite who, according to Numbers 16, joined Dathan and Abiram in challenging the authority of Moses and Aaron and was judged for it. His descendants, the "sons of Korah," are named in the superscriptions of several psalms.
Psalm 88
[Bible]Psalm 88 is a lament psalm of the sons of Korah whose superscription identifies it as a "Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite." The psalmist cries out to God from suffering that has brought him near to death. The psalm is known for ending without comfort or praise, closing on the word "darkness."
Temple Gatekeepers
[Bible]The temple gatekeepers were Levites who guarded the gates of the tabernacle and the temple in Jerusalem and oversaw entry, the storehouses, and the temple furnishings. They are described most fully in 1 Chronicles and also appear in Psalm 84:10, a psalm of the sons of Korah.
Psalm 42
[Bible]Psalm 42, a psalm of the sons of Korah that opens Book II of the Psalter, is a lament in which the psalmist, separated from temple worship, longs for God as a deer pants for streams of water and urges his own downcast soul to hope in God.
Nepheg
[People]Nepheg is a Levite mentioned in Exodus 6:21. He was a son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, and a brother of Korah and Zichri. Scripture records only his name.
Psalm 47
[Bible]Psalm 47 is a psalm of the sons of Korah, a nine-verse hymn that calls all peoples to clap their hands and praise God, the great King over all the earth. It portrays God going up amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet and taking His seat on His throne.
Psalm 44
[Bible]Psalm 44 is a song of the sons of Korah. In this lament, the community recalls God's deliverance in the days of their fathers and then cries out "Awake" because it has suffered defeat and shame despite keeping the covenant.
Psalm 48
[Bible]Psalm 48 is a song of the sons of Korah that celebrates the beauty and strength of Zion, the city where God dwells. It recalls how assembled kings fled in terror at the sight of Zion and urges that this God be made known to the generations to come.
Psalm 46
[Bible]Psalm 46 is a psalm of the sons of Korah. It proclaims that God's people will not fear, though the earth and the sea are shaken and the nations are in uproar, because God is their refuge and dwells in the midst of His city. It is known as the basis for Martin Luther's hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."
Psalm 49
[Bible]Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm of the sons of Korah. It teaches that even those who trust in wealth cannot escape death or buy their own lives, and it confesses that God will redeem the psalmist's soul from the grave (Sheol).
Psalm 87
[Bible]Psalm 87 is a short, seven-verse psalm of the sons of Korah that celebrates Zion, the city God loves, and proclaims that Gentile nations such as Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush will also be spoken of as born in Zion.
Psalm 84
[Bible]Psalm 84 is a psalm of the sons of Korah that expresses longing for the house of God (the temple) and celebrates the blessedness of pilgrims who journey to Zion. It is widely known for the line "a day in thy courts is better than a thousand."
Psalm 85
[Bible]Psalm 85 is a psalm of the sons of Korah that recalls God's past grace in bringing back the captives, pleads with Him to revive His people again, and portrays a restoration in which mercy and truth, righteousness and peace meet together.
Psalm 45
[Bible]Psalm 45 is a "song of loves" of the sons of Korah. A royal wedding psalm, it praises the king's majesty, victories, and everlasting throne and celebrates the marriage in which the bride is brought into the royal palace. Verses 6–7 are quoted in Hebrews 1.
Zichri
[People]Zichri is a Levite named in the genealogy of Exodus 6. He was a grandson of Kohath, a son of Izhar, and a brother of Korah and Nepheg.
Izhar
[People]Izhar was a grandson of Levi and a son of Kohath. He was the uncle of Moses and Aaron and appears in biblical genealogies as the father of Korah, who rose up against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
Psalm 86
[Bible]Psalm 86 is the only "Prayer of David" in Book III of the Psalms. It is an individual lament in which the psalmist, in affliction, pleads for deliverance while confessing God's mercy and compassion.
Psalm 42:1
[Bible Verses]Psalm 42:1 is the opening verse of Psalm 42, which compares longing for God to a thirsty deer seeking water. It is widely quoted as a classic expression of spiritual longing and is also well known through the worship song "As the Deer."
Psalm 46:1–3
[Bible Verses]Psalm 46:1–3 is the first stanza of Psalm 46. It confesses that because God is his people's refuge and strength, they will not fear even though the earth, the mountains, and the sea are shaken. The passage is often cited as a word of comfort in times of disaster and crisis. It is known as the basis of Martin Luther's hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."