The sons of Korah led a rebellion against Moses. It incited anger in God, and a plague struck the camp of the Israelites, killing 14,700 people. (Numbers 16) We see the mourning and remembrance of this tragedy in our psalms for today. Psalm 88 ends in despair. There is no turn to hope by the end. It is a cry that apparently goes unheard... or so you would think, if you haven’t read the other psalms or anything else in Scripture. Psalm 85 remembers those same sons of Korah, but this time, it is filled not just with hope but with a recognition of God’s faithfulness. He hears our cries and answers them with love, grace, and mercy.