It’s hard to overestimate the value of a good collaborator. When David moved the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, he assigned several Levites to minister around the ark, to always extol, thank and praise the Lord, the God of Israel.

The chief of these was Asaph, a trusted confidant of David’s. At their first meeting David shared instructions on how to lead the people in praise to the Lord. Here’s his first line:

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of his wonderful acts.

Asaph took these words to heart. David wrote many of the psalms we enjoy today, and Asaph joined in. Psalms 50 & 73-83 are attributed to Asaph and his descendants. I picture these two scripting songs to the Lord, comparing notes on language and rhyme and meter, making each other better.

Years ago a group of men in England met regularly in a pub to discuss literature and writing. Known as The Inklings, their numbers included both CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. They shared ideas and input on each other’s work in an collegial atmosphere over a pint (or maybe two). An astounding legacy flowed from these informal gatherings.

David and Asaph shared a similar relationship. Their sessions led to a flowering of the psalms. Two talented writers and musicians, collaborating shoulder-to-shoulder at just the right moment in history, were inspired by the Lord to produce works beloved for thousands of years.

1 Chronicles 16 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Patrick Tomasso