1 Chronicles 16

CHAPTER 16

David Presents Offerings Before God (16:1–6)

(2 Samuel 6:17–19)

1–6 See 2 Samuel 6:17–19 and comment.

David’s Psalm of Thanks (16:7–43)

(Psalms 96:1–13; 105:1–15; 106:1,47–48)

7 This section contains a psalm of thanksgiving that David wrote for the musicians attending the ark (verses 4–6). The psalm is made up of parts of three different psalms found in the book of Psalms: Psalm 105:1–15 (verses 8–22), Psalm 96:1–13 (verses 23–33), and Psalm 106:1,47–48 (verses 34–36).

8–22 In verses 8–13, David exhorts the listeners to give thanks, to sing praise, to seek God’s face, and to remember God’s wonders, miracles and judgments. This is what all of us are called to do; this is our part as human beings.

In verses 14–22, David describes God’s part. God renders judgments (verse 14), and He remembers his covenant (verse 15)—the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in which He promised to give to their descendants the land of Canaan as an inheritance. And God protects His people; He protected Abraham and his descendants, the Israelites (verses 19–22), because they were His chosen ones (verse 13).

For further discussion of verses 8–22, see Psalm 105:1–15 and comment.

23–33 In these verses, David urges the people to sing and to proclaim the praises of God and of His SALVATION (verse 23). For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise (verse 25). Recall that this psalm was written to celebrate the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem. The ark represented God’s presence, God’s earthly “throne”; therefore, the arrival of the ark in Jerusalem represented the arrival of God Himself, who had come to rule over His people. What fitting words for such an occasion! Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place (verse 27). Bring an offering . . . Tremble before him . . . The LORD reigns! (verses 29–31).

Not only will men and women acknowledge the Lord, but also the heavens, the sea, the fields and the trees will sing for joy (verses 31–32). Why will they sing? Because the Lord comes to judge the earth (verse 33). This is the first reference in Scripture to the coming of God at the end of the world when, in the person of Jesus Christ, He will judge all mankind.

For further discussion of verses 23–33, see Psalm 96:1–13 and comment.

34–36 These final verses of thanksgiving and praise are also found in Psalm 106:1,47–48. It is not known whether David first wrote the psalm recorded in this chapter and then later used it to compose the three psalms, or whether he wrote the three psalms first. It doesn’t matter; in either case the composer was David—together with the Holy Spirit.

37–43 David then instructed the Levites to minister before the ark regularly, since the ark represented the continuing presence of God. But he sent Zadok the high priest back to the tabernacle at the high place in Gibeon (verse 39), because that was Israel’s main center of worship before the building of the temple in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 3:4–5). The writer discusses David’s preparations for the temple in 1 Chronicles Chapter 22.