Asaph

Biblical Record

In 1 Chronicles 6:39, Asaph appears as the son of Berachiah, and his genealogy traces back to Gershom, the son of Levi. This places him among the Gershonite Levites. In the same chapter, David appointed men to the ministry of song, and Asaph is recorded as serving at Heman's right hand (1 Chronicles 6:31-39).

When the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem, Asaph sounded cymbals of brass together with Heman and Ethan (1 Chronicles 15:16-19). After the ark was placed in the tent, David appointed Asaph chief of the singers. He then assigned Asaph and his brethren to give thanks in song and to minister continually before the ark (1 Chronicles 16:5-7, 16:37). First Chronicles 25:1-2 records that the sons of Asaph, by the king's order, were charged to "prophesy" in song. The Hebrew verb used here, which some translations render as "to sing spiritual songs," originally means "to prophesy."

When Solomon dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem, the singers of Asaph's line also offered praise (2 Chronicles 5:12). Later, Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praise "with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer" (2 Chronicles 29:30). The descendants of Asaph also carried out the ministry of praise at the Passover under Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:15) and at the rebuilding of the temple after the return from exile (Ezra 2:41, 3:10).

Significance in Scripture

Twelve psalms in the book of Psalms, namely Psalm 50 and Psalms 73–83, bear the name "A Psalm of Asaph" in their superscriptions. Nehemiah 12:46 looks back on "the days of David and Asaph" as the period that set the pattern for temple praise. Chronicles calls Asaph a "seer," closely linking music and prophecy.

The New Testament does not mention Asaph by name. However, Matthew 13:35, in explaining Jesus' use of parables, quotes Psalm 78:2, a psalm of Asaph, as that "which was spoken by the prophet."

Interpretations and Issues

• Authorship of the "Psalms of Asaph": The expression "of Asaph" in the superscriptions can be read as "composed by Asaph," "given to Asaph," or "belonging to the Asaphite line (choir)." Psalms 74 and 79 describe the destruction of the temple. For this reason, many scholars regard these psalms as the work of Asaph's descendants around the time of the Babylonian exile. Traditional readings attribute them to Asaph himself or explain them as prophetic in character.
• Ethan and Jeduthun: Some hold that Ethan and Jeduthun, who appear alongside Asaph as music leaders in David's time, are the same person, but the text does not state this explicitly.
• Others of the same name: Asaph the father of Joah, an official of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:18), and Asaph the keeper of the king's forest (Nehemiah 2:8) are generally regarded as different individuals. King "Asa" in Matthew 1:7-8 is reportedly spelled "Asaph" in some manuscripts, but the name there refers to Asa, king of Judah.
• Prophecy and praise: Some within the charismatic movement cite the "prophesying" in song of 1 Chronicles 25:1 as a basis for prophetic ministry in worship. Others read the expression more narrowly as referring to the ministry of temple praise.

In Korean Churches

In Korean churches, Asaph is frequently presented as a model for those who serve in worship music, such as members of the choir and the praise team. Some churches name their choirs after Asaph. Among the psalms of Asaph, Psalm 73 is often used in preaching as a text about the inner struggle that comes from seeing the prosperity of the wicked and the restoration that follows. In particular, "it is good for me to draw near to God" (Psalm 73:28) and Psalm 73:25-26 are widely quoted.