The legacy of Asaph and the 12 psalms attributed to him (Psalms 50, 73-83) lives on not just in his role as the anointed leader of worship when Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem, but also for his expression of deep lament and doubt.
Asaph reassures us that it’s alright to feel bitter when we see the unrighteous thrive (Psalm 73:16-22). From his psalms, Asaph even tells us that it’s okay to be frustrated by God’s apparent disregard for His children’s sufferings while questioning His sense of justice (Psalm 80).
Many of Asaph’s psalms reflect the communal experiences of Israel, emphasizing that faith is often a collective journey. For East Asian believers facing cultural and social marginalization, they find solace and strength as a community, relying on one another for support in their faith journeys. Access to Scripture in their native language would enhance their ability to share, reflect, and grow together in their understanding of God, reinforcing their identity as a community of believers amidst external challenges.
It is Asaph and his role as chief musician during the time of King David and King Solomon that provide us with verses to express our struggles and joys in our relationship with God, reminding us of the importance of corporate worship in fostering a sense of community and solidarity in times of hardship. But those verses can only truly resonate in the hearts of believers if they are available in a language closest to their hearts.
Will you give a verse today to help accelerate everyone in Asia receiving God’s Word — a vital necessity for navigating both personal and communal experiences of doubt, lament, and ultimately, hope in God’s presence?
From Darkness to Translation
Rev. Watan Derio, coordinator of the Sediq Bible translation committee in Taiwan, once abandoned his community in grief and anger. As a child, he accompanied his father and grandfather while they ministered to Sediq people in Taiwan’s central mountains.
Tragedy struck when Watan was 12 — his father was killed by a falling boulder while escorting missionaries at night. Devastated, Watan dropped out of school and fled to Taipei without telling his family. Unable to find work, the angry and disillusioned youth joined a street gang.
During his darkest period, one of his father’s pastor friends reached out, reminding him of his father’s favorite passage from Deuteronomy 33:25. This connection felt like divine intervention, offering hope of rescue from darkness.
Embracing a new path, Watan enrolled in Bible College, became a pastor, and joined the Sediq Bible translation project, determined to make God’s word accessible to his people in their native language, continuing his father’s sacred work.
Your generous gift today will help continue this legacy of transformation, bringing Scripture to communities still waiting for God’s Word in their heart language.