Psalm 82 pictures God sitting in His divine council assessing the work of those to whom He has delegated authority on earth. He looks at the rulers of the nations in disappointment, seeing that they have been oppressors rather than helpers of the oppressed. God reminds them that they are not eternal like Him, they will die and be called into judgement for their actions.

Psalm 81 begins with the psalmist calling on the people of Israel to worship God according to His law, to sing to Him and celebrate the prescribed holy days. As the Israelites were preparing to celebrate these feast days, the psalmist wanted them to look back at their history and the promises God had made to their nation. He encouraged them to give their hearts solely to God and worship Him alone.

In Psalm 80, the psalmist compares the nation of Israel to a vine. The vine once flourished in the care of God, but God had turned His back on the vine, leaving it to be burned, because of the sins of the people. The psalmist, sensing that Israel was ready to repent, asked God to restore the vine and to make His face shine on His people once again.

Psalm 79 is very reminiscent of Psalm 74 and appears to describe the same events, namely the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of God’s people by the Babylonians. Asaph’s main intention in writing this psalm was to call out to God to avenge His people and His honorable name against their godless enemies.

Psalm 78 is a summarized historical account of the nation of Israel, which highlights God's repeated acts of deliverance and the people's repeated disobediences. The psalm writer wanted to document this history to teach the upcoming generations about the mistakes of their ancestors and to encourage them to put their faith in God for a brighter future.

Psalm 76 is a psalm of worship to God for a victory He gave to the people of Israel and Judah. When the enemies invaded their land, God’s power turned them back and humbled them. Asaph, the author, advised all men to fear the Lord and hold Him in High honor.

Jerusalem was in despair. Psalm 74 begins with the psalmist mourning over the ruins of God’s sanctuary and holy places. The enemies of Israel had ransacked their sacred spaces and Israel had no recourse. The psalmist pleads with God to help them and to vindicate His name against those who were mocking it. Israel was helpless, but their God had the power to save them.