Life’s hardest decisions are often choosing to show love to God over loyalty to family (Mt 10:37).
Psalm 42, the first in Book II, is a Maschil or Contemplation psalm. It is also the first one associated with “the sons of Korah.” What a biblical bombshell that is! The other word associated with Korah is “rebellion” (Jude 1:11), where he is linked with the unsavory characters of Cain and Balaam—God’s desperado list. What happened? Korah, a Levite and cousin of Moses, joined a confederacy to overthrow God’s chosen leadership (Num 16). The next day, “the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation” (v 19). He told Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the congregation because He was going to “consume them in a moment” (v 21). Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and pled for the congregation to be spared. Then, said the Lord, “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram’” (v 24). All who chose to side with the rebels perished with them, “and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up” (v 32). We must wait ten chapters to read with relief, “Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die” (26:11). These young people and their families eventually became door-keepers (1 Chron 9:19) and musicians for the temple and its service. The psalms linked to them are Psalms 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, 87, and 88, eleven in all. We will see they have a recurring motif of death, the grave (Sheol), and deliverance from it. These psalms are brimming with the grace of God. We’ll study this psalm more fully, but today let’s revel in these words, “The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me” (Ps 42:8). He’s such a caring Father! He shows His love to us all day and sings us peaceful lullabies at night.