1 Chronicles 16

A Tent for the Ark

1 So they brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. ¹

2 When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

3 Then he distributed to every man and woman of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, ^[a] and a raisin cake.

4 David appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.

5 Asaph was the chief, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They were to play 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 Psalms of Thanksgiving

7 On that day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this song of thanksgiving to the LORD: ²

8 “Give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.

9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.

10 Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

11 Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.

12 Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,

13 O offspring of His servant Israel, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.

14 He is the LORD our God; His judgments carry throughout the earth.

15 Remember ^[b] His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations—

16 the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.

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

18 ‘I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.’

19 When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,

20 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

21 He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:

22 ‘Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!’

Sing to the LORD, All the Earth

23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth. ³ Proclaim His salvation day after day.

24 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but it is the LORD who made the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy fill His dwelling.

28 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

29 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due 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 moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’

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

33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion ^[c] endures forever.

35 Then cry out: ‘Save us, O God of our salvation; gather and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise.’

36 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and “Praise the LORD!”

Worship before the Ark

37 So David left Asaph and his associates there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to minister there regularly according to the daily requirements,

38 along with Obed-edom and his sixty-eight relatives. Obed-edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were to be gatekeepers.

39 And David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon

40 to regularly present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offerings, morning and evening, according to all 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 of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, for “His loving devotion endures forever.”

42 Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for the songs of God. ^[d] And the sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people departed for their homes, and David returned home to bless his household.

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.

Cross References

• 1. (2 Samuel 6:17–19)
• 2. (Psalms 105:1–15)
• 3. (Psalms 96:1–13)

Footnotes

• [a]. Or a portion of meat
• [b]. Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts He remembers; see Psalms 105:8.
• [c]. Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
• [d]. Or instruments for the sacred music

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.

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