1 Chronicles 16

1 They brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God's presence.

2 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

3 Then he distributed to each and every Israelite, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.^[a]

4 David appointed some of the Levites to be ministers before the ark of the Lord, to celebrate the Lord God of Israel, and to give thanks and praise to Him.

5 Asaph was the chief and Zechariah was second to him. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel played the harps and lyres, while Asaph [sounded] the cymbals

6 and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel [blew] the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

David's Psalm of Thanksgiving

7 On that day David decreed for the first time that thanks be given to the Lord by Asaph and his relatives:

8 Give thanks to the Lord; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples.

9 Sing to Him; sing praise to Him; tell about all His wonderful works!

10 Honor His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

11 Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always.

12 Remember the wonderful works He has done, His wonders, and the judgments He has pronounced,^[b]

13 you offspring of Israel His servant, Jacob's descendants-His chosen ones.

14 He is the Lord our God; His judgments [govern] the whole earth.

15 Remember His covenant forever- the promise He ordained for a thousand generations,

16 [the covenant] He made with Abraham, swore^[c] to Isaac,

17 and confirmed to Jacob as a decree, and to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

18 "I will give the land of Canaan to you as your inherited portion."

19 When they^[d] were few in number, very few indeed, and temporary residents in Canaan

20 wandering from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another,

21 He allowed no one to oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:

22 "Do not touch My anointed ones or harm My prophets."^[e]

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation from day to day.

24 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples.

25 For the Lord is great and is highly praised; He is feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His place.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of [His] holiness;

30 tremble before Him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.

31 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The Lord is King!"

32 Let the sea and everything in it resound; let the fields and all that is in them exult.

33 Then the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth.^[f]

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.

35 And say: "Save us, God of our salvation; gather us and rescue us from the nations so that we may give thanks to Your holy name and rejoice in Your praise.

36 May the Lord, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting."^[g] Then all the people said, "Amen" and "Praise the Lord."

37 So David left Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of the Lord's covenant to minister regularly before the ark according to the daily requirements.

38 [He also left] Obed-edom and his^[h] 68 relatives. Obed-edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were to be gatekeepers.

39 [David left] Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon

40 to offer burnt offerings regularly, morning and evening, to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings and to do everything that was written in the law of the Lord, which He had commanded Israel to keep.

41 With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord-for His faithful love endures forever.

42 Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals to play and musical instruments of God. Jeduthun's sons were at the gate.

43 Then all the people left for their homes, and David returned [home] to bless his household.^[i]

1 Chronicles 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The solemnity with which the ark was fixed. (1-6) David's psalm of praise. (7-36) Setting in order the worship of God. (37-43)

Verses 1-6 Though God's word and ordinances may be clouded and eclipsed for a time, they shall shine out of obscurity. This was but a tent, a humble dwelling, yet this was the tabernacle which David, in his psalms, often speaks of with so much affection. David showed himself generous to his subjects, as he had found God gracious to him. Those whose hearts are enlarged with holy joy, should show it by being open-handed.

Verses 7-36 Let God be glorified in our praises. Let others be edified and taught, that strangers to him may be led to adore him. Let us ourselves triumph and trust in God. Those that give glory to God's name are allowed to glory in it. Let the everlasting covenant be the great matter of our joy his people of old, be remembered by us with thankfulness to him. Show forth from day to day his salvation, his promised salvation by Christ. We have reason to celebrate that from day to day; for we daily receive the benefit, and it is a subject that can never be exhausted. In the midst of praises, we must not forget to pray for the servants of God in distress.

Verses 37-43 The worship of God ought to be the work of every day. David put it into order. At Jerusalem, where the ark was, Asaph and his brethren were to minister before the ark continually, with songs of praise. No sacrifices were offered there, nor incense burnt, because the altars were not there; but David's prayers were directed as incense, and the lifting up of his hands as the evening sacrifice. So early did spiritual worship take place of ceremonial. Yet the ceremonial worship, being of Divine institution, must by no means be omitted; therefore at Gibeon, at the altars, the priests attended; for their work was to sacrifice and burn incense; and that they did continually, morning and evening, according to the law of Moses. As the ceremonies were types of the mediation of Christ, the observance of them was of great consequence. The attendance of his appointed ministers is right in itself, and encourages the people.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Sm 6:17-19
• [b]. Lit judgments of His mouth
• [c]. Lit and His oath
• [d]. One Hb ms, LXX, Vg; MT reads you
• [e]. Ps 105:1-15
• [f]. Ps 96:1-13
• [g]. Ps 106:1,47-48
• [h]. LXX, Syr, Vg; Hb reads their
• [i]. 2 Sm 6:19-20

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 16

This chapter relates that David offered sacrifices when the ark was brought into his city, 1Ch 16:1-3 who were the singers he appointed to sing before it continually, 1Ch 16:4-6 and the song he that day composed and delivered to them to sing, 1Ch 16:7-36 and that he appointed not only proper persons to minister before the ark, but also before the tabernacle at Gibeon, 1Ch 16:37-43.

in these three verses is the same with 2Sa 6:17-19, see the notes there. \\See Gill on "2Sa 6:17"\\. \\See Gill on "2Sa 6:18"\\. \\See Gill on "2Sa 6:19"\\. 18780-950101-1710-1Ch16.2