1 Chronicles 16

A Tent for the Ark

1 And they brought in the ark of God and ¹placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

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

3 He distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake.

4 He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, with musical instruments, harps, lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals,

6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 Then on that day David ²first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the LORD.

Psalm of Thanksgiving

8 ³Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; ⁴Make known His deeds among the peoples.

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

10 Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.

11 ⁵Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.

12 ⁶Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, ⁷His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,

13 O seed of Israel His servant, Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!

14 He is the LORD our God; ⁸His judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,

16 ⁹The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac.

17 ¹⁰He also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, "¹¹To you I will give the land of Canaan, As the portion of your inheritance."

19 ¹²When they were only a few in number, Very few, and strangers in it,

20 And they wandered about from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people,

21 He permitted no man to oppress them, And ¹³He reproved kings for their sakes, saying,

22 "Do not touch My anointed ones, And ¹⁴do My prophets no harm."

23 ¹⁵Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.

24 Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

25 For ¹⁶great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He also is ¹⁷to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are ¹⁸idols, ¹⁹But the LORD made the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place.

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

29 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him; ²⁰Worship the LORD in holy array.

30 Tremble before * Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

31 ²¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, "²²The LORD reigns."

32 ²³Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it.

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

34 ²⁴O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

35 ²⁵Then say, "Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks to Your holy name, And glory in Your praise."

36 ²⁶Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. Then all the people ²⁷said, "Amen," and praised the LORD.

Worship before the Ark

37 So he left Asaph and his relatives there ²⁸before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark continually, ²⁹as every day's work required;

38 and ³⁰Obed-edom with his 68 * relatives; Obed-edom, also the son of Jeduthun, and ³¹Hosah as gatekeepers.

39 He left ³²Zadok the priest and his relatives the priests ³³before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place which was at Gibeon,

40 to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, ³⁴even according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which He commanded Israel.

41 With them were ³⁵Heman and Jeduthun, and ³⁶the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to ³⁷give thanks to the LORD, because His lovingkindness is everlasting.

42 And with them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and with instruments for ³⁸the songs of God, and the sons of Jeduthun for the gate.

43 ³⁹Then all the people departed each to his house, and David returned 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. 1 Chronicles 15:1
• 2. 2 Samuel 22:1; 2 Samuel 23:1
• 3. 1 Chronicles 16:8-36; Psalms 105:1-15
• 4. 1 Kings 8:43; 2 Kings 19:19
• 5. Psalms 24:6
• 6. Psalms 103:2
• 7. Psalms 78:43-68
• 8. Psalms 48:10
• 9. Genesis 12:7; Genesis 17:2; Genesis 22:16-18; Genesis 26:3
• 10. Genesis 35:11, 12
• 11. Genesis 13:15
• 12. Genesis 34:30; Deuteronomy 7:7
• 13. Genesis 12:17; Genesis 20:3; Exodus 7:15-18
• 14. Genesis 20:7
• 15. Psalms 96:1-13
• 16. Psalms 144:3-6
• 17. Psalms 89:7
• 18. Leviticus 19:4
• 19. Psalms 102:25
• 20. Psalms 29:2
• 21. Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 49:13
• 22. Psalms 93:1; Psalms 96:10
• 23. Psalms 98:7
• 24. 2 Chronicles 5:13; 2 Chronicles 7:3; Ezra 3:11; Psalms 106:1; Psalms 136:1; Jeremiah 33:11
• 25. Psalms 106:47, 48
• 26. 1 Kings 8:15, 56; Psalms 72:18
• 27. Deuteronomy 27:15; Nehemiah 8:6
• 28. 1 Chronicles 16:4, 5
• 29. 2 Chronicles 8:14; Ezra 3:4
• 30. 1 Chronicles 13:14
• 31. 1 Chronicles 26:10
• 32. 1 Chronicles 15:11
• 33. 1 Kings 3:4
• 34. Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:3, 4
• 35. 1 Chronicles 6:33
• 36. 1 Chronicles 25:1-6
• 37. 2 Chronicles 5:13
• 38. 1 Chronicles 25:7; 2 Chronicles 7:6; 2 Chronicles 29:27
• 39. 2 Samuel 6:19

Footnotes

• [a]. In 1 Chr 15:18, "Jaaziel"
• [b]. Lit "by the hand of Asaph"
• [c]. Lit "brothers"
• [d]. Or "Meditate on"
• [e]. I.e. wonderful acts
• [f]. Or "Boast"
• [g]. Or "non-existent things"
• [h]. Or "a grain offering"
• [i]. Or "the splendor of holiness"
• [j]. Or "thunder"
• [k]. Lit "its fullness"
• [l]. Lit "boast"
• [m]. Lit "brothers"
• [n]. Lit "their brothers, 68"
• [o]. Lit "brothers"
• [p]. Lit "dwelling place"

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