1 Chronicles 16 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

1 Chronicles 16

The Ark Placed in a Tent

16:1 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat,¹ and a cake of raisins.

4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the LORD by Asaph and his brothers.

David’s Song of Thanks

8   Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
9   Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
10   Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
11   Seek the LORD and his strength;
    seek his presence continually!
12   Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
    his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
13   O offspring of Israel his servant,
    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
14   He is the LORD our God;
    his judgments are in all the earth.
15   Remember his covenant forever,
    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
16   the covenant that he made with Abraham,
    his sworn promise to Isaac,
17   which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
18   saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,
    as your portion for an inheritance.”
19   When you were few in number,
    of little account, and sojourners in it,
20   wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people,
21   he allowed no one to oppress them;
    he rebuked kings on their account,
22   saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
    do my prophets no harm!”
23   Sing to the LORD, all the earth!
    Tell of his salvation from day to day.
24   Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
25   For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
    and he is to be feared above all gods.
26   For all the gods of the peoples are worthless 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, 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!
  Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;²
30     tremble before him, all the earth;
    yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
31   Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
    and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”
32   Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it!
33   Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
34   Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

35 Say also:

  “Save us, O God of our salvation,
    and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
  that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.
36   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD.

Worship Before the Ark

37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, 38 and also Obed-edom and his³ sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. 39 And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon 40 to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the LORD that he commanded Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

43 Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.

Footnotes

[1] 16:3 Compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
[2] 16:29 Or in holy attire
[3] 16:38 Hebrew their

Commentary

v1-3: Balance in the worship of God; offerings made, the people blessed, and the people fed. Although David's heart was full of worship for God, he did not neglect the people.

v4-6: In ch 15, the music related to the bringing of the ark into Jerusalem, a one-off special event. Now David ensured that there were men to continue that music on a regular basis. Levites were appointed, who had already been involved in this work, 15.17-18.

v7: David delivered a psalm to Asaph, perhaps to put a musical accompaniment to it. A psalm of praise to God for His goodness and greatness.

v8-13: Emphasis upon God, answering our man-centred, earth bound, worldly attitudes; this helps us to see our lives and our problems in perspective.

We declare His deeds (v8), all His wonderful acts(v9), His Holy Name (v10), His strength (v11), His miracles, His wonders, His judgments (v12).

In response, we are thankful (v8), we sing (v9), we speak (v9), we rejoice (v10), we pray (v11), and we remember what He has done (v12). Such is the joyful responsibility for all who know God. This is our proper spiritual response to God.

v14-18: The covenant of God, and His faithfulness to His word. He has declared His judgments, His word or truth and righteousness. His covenant springs from His grace and initiative, in choosing Abraham, and then in maintaining His covenant with succeeding generations. Specifically, He promised the land of Canaan, in which the people now lived.

v19-22: Even before the people reached Canaan, the Lord honoured and protected them. He kept them as the apple of His eye. His covenant means that He is committed to His own. He describes His people as “my anointed ones... my prophets.”

v23-24: As in v8-13, praising God, and declaring His works. We are commanded to bring to mind His salvation, His glory, and His marvellous deeds.

v25-27: God is unique, "above all gods"; He is set apart, because He is the creator; no other god can create something from nothing.

v28-30: Attribute glory to Him, for He is worthy. The greatness of God is such that we worship Him, and tremble before Him.

v31-33: All creation is called to praise God; such is His power and glory. He is king and judge over all.

v34-36: The victory of God; there is salvation in Him, and that means deliverance from all enemies.

v37-43: David left the skilled and gifted men, so that worship was maintained. Such are essential for on-going spiritual growth and development.