INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 50
A Psalm of Asaph. This psalm is called a psalm of Asaph; either because it was composed by him under divine inspiration, since he was a prophet and a seer, 1 Chronicles 25:2; or because it was delivered to him to be sung in public service, he being a chief musician; see
1 Chronicles 16:7; and so it may be rendered, "a psalm for Asaph"; or "unto Asaph" o; which was directed, sent, and delivered to him, and might be written by David; and, as Junius thinks, after the angel had appeared to him, and he was directed where he should build an altar to the Lord,
1 Chronicles 21:18. The Targum, Kimchi, and R. Obadiah Gaon, interpret this psalm of the day of judgment; and Jarchi takes it to be a prophecy of the future redemption by their expected Messiah; and indeed it does refer to the times of the Gospel dispensation; for it treats of the calling of the Gentiles, of the abrogation of legal sacrifices, and of the controversy the Lord would have with the Jews for retaining them, and rejecting pure, spiritual, and evangelical worship.
o לאסף "ipsi Asaph", Tigurine version, Vatablus; "Asapho", Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Ainsworth.