Psalm 42: Korah

Before we get to verse 1 of Psalm 42, we are told that it was written by the “Sons of Korah”. The Sons of Korah were a group of Levites that were appointed by David as worship leaders, they were singers and song writers, probably serving in the Tabernacle of David and leading the procession that would go to the house of God. What’s significant about the Sons of Korah not only writing songs to God, but being inspired to write songs by God, is that their forefather and namesake died trying to gain glory for himself rather than giving it to God.

In Numbers 16, as Israel was beginning their 40 years of wandering in the desert, Korah, a member of the tribe of Levi and relative of Moses and Aaron, gathered 250 leading men of Israel and confronted Moses and Aaron saying, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” Korah and those with him had decided that they deserved a greater place of leadership, that they were as capable as Moses and Aaron, that they could rise up and take the anointing and calling of God for themselves. The Bible says that when Moses heard their complaint that he fell on his face in grief. He told Korah and all those with him that in the morning the LORD would answer their complaint, that God Himself would show who He had chosen, who He had called, who belonged to Him, that God would bring near to Himself those who He had called to hear His voice and lead His people. The next morning, the 250 men and Aaron, all with their censors filled with fire and incense (these were tools of worship), stood at the front of the tent of meeting, the place where God’s presence dwelled within the camp of Israel. It was not enough for Korah to bring his 250 followers to meet with Moses and Aaron, he gathered the entire congregation, his desire was not to seek the LORD but to make a name for himself.  Numbers 16:19 says “And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.” One of the hard things for us to learn is that when God is publicly complained against, when He is publicly questioned and mocked, He will publicly answer. Korah was working to win the entire congregation to himself and so God’s answer would be given to all those that Korah had been seeking to sway.

God’s first response was to speak to Moses and Aaron, He told them, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” Once again God shows us what our disobedience, what our pride and impatience deserve and once again Moses showed us the heart of an intercessor, the heart of one appointed by God to lead with the character of God. Moses and Aaron together cried out to God praying, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?” Moses and Aaron stood in God’s presence in God’s character, they weren’t changing God’s mind, they were following God’s leadership. Judgment was deserved, but mercy was desired. This is God’s heart toward all humanity. The end of James 2:13 tells us “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Judgment is what we’ve earned, mercy is what God desires, intercession is where mercy is applied, and God’s will is accomplished. While Korah was seeking to tear down Moses, Moses was committed to standing for Israel.

God heard Moses and Aaron, as He hears all of us, and He answered, “Say to the congregation, get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abriam.” Moses warned the congregation and they got away from Korah and his friends and then the ground opened up and swallowed Korah, Dathan and Abriam “with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods . . . and then closed over them . . . And fire came out form the LORD and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.” In a moment all those who had complained about Moses and Aaron, who had questioned God’s leadership, who had tried to make themselves leaders and claim God’s power for themselves were not just dead, they were gone. They made a spectacle and became nothing more than a memory.

There is one more verse from Numbers that I want to share before we get back to Psalm 42. Numbers 26:10 gives us a brief synopsis of what happened in Numbers 16 but then verse 11 gives us this note, “But the sons of Korah did not die.” The men who ended up writing some of the Psalms were the relatives of the man who was swallowed by the earth. The man who thirsted for power had relatives who wrote, “As a deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for You, my God.” The Sons of Korah are the outcome of God’s mercy, they are the victory of mercy when judgment was warranted. God gives mercy not so that we will have a second chance but so that we can be changed, not to be fair but to be kind, not because everyone deserves one but because He is patient, even longsuffering toward us. One of my favorite lines in the Psalms is found in Psalm 145:8, “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” Mercy is not what God does it’s who He is. Jeremiah wrote, in the absolute worst moment he could have imagined, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.” The Sons of Korah wrote songs of worship only because God had chosen to be compassionate to them when their ancestors deserved to be destroyed. The Psalm is beautiful, but the story is the truth. None of us have been given what we deserve, none of us are the sum of our sins or the sins of others, none of us have been silenced, God’s mercy has given us all the opportunity to write and sing a brand new song. As you read this God has given mercy that is not for you to do better but for you to be different, receive the gift of the Sons of Korah and walk a different direction, sing a better song, tell a truer story and be loved with the purest love. Your name, your past, your failure and your heritage don’t have to define you, God’s mercy can simply give your old name a brand new story.