As we have been making our way through the Book of Psalms this year, you may have noticed that the Psalms come from a variety of sources. Roughly half of the Psalms were written by David, but he was not the only author. Twelve Psalms were attributed to Asaph (a Levite singer), another eleven are attributed to the Sons of Korah, and many other Psalms do not identify the author at all.
The Sons of Korah were a group with a particularly intriguing history. Korah was a Levite and a first cousin of Moses and Aaron. In Numbers 16, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram along with 250 other prominent leaders of Israel rebelled against Moses and Aaron. They said, “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?” (Num. 16:3). Even though Korah was a Levite who served in the tabernacle, he rebelled because he was not a priest like Aaron and his sons. Instead of being content with his own calling he sought the calling that had been given to others. According to Moses, Korah and his people were not just guilty of grumbling against Aaron but of rebelling against the Lord (Num. 16:11).
What was the consequence of Korah’s rebellion? Moses instructed Korah and the others to take censers and put fire in them, promising that the Lord would show them who were “his” and who were “holy” (Num. 16:6-7). The next day, Korah and his people appeared alongside Aaron and Moses with their censers and incense at the entrance of the tent of meeting, where the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation (Num. 16:16-19). The Lord then called for Israel to separate themselves from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram so that he could consume them in his wrath. The rest of the Israelites moved away from the rebels while the families of Dathan and Abiram stood at the door of their tents (Num. 16:20-27). Soon afterward, the ground split open, swallowing up the rebels, and fire from the Lord consumed the 250 men offering incense (Num. 16:31-35). It is one of the most dramatic stories of God’s judgment in the Bible.
However, in the midst of judgment there is also a glimmer of mercy. Numbers 16:32 says that the earth swallowed up all who belonged to Korah, but later in the Book of Numbers we learn that the Sons of Korah did not die (Num. 26:11). This means that Korah’s sons must have listened to Moses’ command to depart from Korah’s tent rather than continuing in their father’s rebellion. Despite the sins of their father, the Lord showed the Sons of Korah mercy because they repented of their sin—a reminder that God is always ready to show mercy to sinners who turn back to him.
Knowing this background gives a whole new layer of meaning to the Psalms written by the Sons of Korah (42-49, 84, 85, 87, 88). These men were rebels who received God’s forgiveness and had learned to praise him for his mercy. As Psalm 86 says, “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol” (Ps. 86:12-13).
There is a lesson here for all of us. Like the Sons of Korah, all Christians are rebels who have found God’s mercy by turning to Christ in faith and repentance. Consequently, we have been given a second chance by the God of grace. Our response to this grace should be a life of continual praise and thanksgiving for what Christ has done. Therefore, we can join the chorus with the Sons of Korah and praise him for his steadfast love, for we too could have been swallowed up, but we have been delivered from the depths of judgment by our great Savior.