1 Chronicles 16

Ministering Before the Ark

1 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.

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

3 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman.

4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to extol,^[a] thank, and praise the LORD, the God of Israel:

5 Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,^[b] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals,

6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the LORD in this manner:

8 Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

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

11 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

12 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

13 you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

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

15 He remembers^[c] his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations,

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

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

18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”

19 When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it,

20 they^[d] wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

21 He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings:

22 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

25 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.

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

27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

28 Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of 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^[e] holiness.

30 Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!

33 Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

35 Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.”

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

37 David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.

38 He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were 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 present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the LORD, which he had given Israel.

41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, “for his love endures forever.”

42 Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.

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. S 1 Chronicles 15:1
• 2. S Exodus 39:43; Numbers 6:23-27
• 3. Isaiah 16:7
• 4. S 1 Chronicles 15:2
• 5. Psalms 47:7; 2 Samuel 23:1
• 6. ver 34; Psalms 107:1; Psalms 118:1; Psalms 136:1
• 7. S 2 Kings 19:19
• 8. S Exodus 15:1; Psalms 7:17
• 9. Psalms 8:1; Psalms 29:2; Psalms 66:2
• 10. ver 10; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 7:14; 2 Chronicles 14:4; 2 Chronicles 15:2,12; 2 Chronicles 16:12; 2 Chronicles 18:4; 2 Chronicles 20:4; 2 Chronicles 34:3; Psalms 24:6; Psalms 27:8; Psalms 105:4; Psalms 119:2,58; Proverbs 8:17
• 11. Psalms 77:11
• 12. S Deuteronomy 4:34
• 13. Psalms 78:43
• 14. Isaiah 4:4; Isaiah 26:9
• 15. S Genesis 8:1; Psalms 98:3; Psalms 111:5; Psalms 115:12; Psalms 136:23
• 16. S Genesis 12:7; S Genesis 15:18; Genesis 17:2; Genesis 22:16-18; Genesis 26:3; Genesis 28:13; Genesis 35:11
• 17. Genesis 35:9-12
• 18. Genesis 13:14-17
• 19. Genesis 34:30; Deuteronomy 7:7
• 20. S Genesis 20:13
• 21. Genesis 12:17; S Genesis 20:3; Exodus 7:15-18; Psalms 9:5
• 22. S Genesis 20:7
• 23. Isaiah 42:12; Isaiah 66:19
• 24. Psalms 18:3; Psalms 48:1
• 25. Psalms 76:7; Psalms 89:7
• 26. Exodus 18:11; Deuteronomy 32:39; 2 Chronicles 2:5; Psalms 135:5; Isaiah 40:25
• 27. Leviticus 19:4; Psalms 8:3; Psalms 102:25
• 28. Psalms 29:1-2
• 29. Psalms 8:1
• 30. 2 Chronicles 20:21; Psalms 29:1-2
• 31. Psalms 2:11; Psalms 33:8; Psalms 76:8; Psalms 99:1; Psalms 114:7
• 32. Psalms 93:1
• 33. Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 49:13
• 34. Psalms 9:7; Psalms 47:8; Psalms 93:1; Psalms 97:1; Psalms 99:1; Psalms 146:10; Isaiah 52:7; Lamentations 5:19
• 35. Exodus 20:11; Isaiah 42:10; Psalms 98:7
• 36. Isaiah 14:8; Isaiah 55:12
• 37. 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalms 7:8; Psalms 96:10; Psalms 98:9; Psalms 110:6; Isaiah 2:4
• 38. S ver 8; Psalms 105:1; Isaiah 12:4
• 39. Psalms 25:7; Psalms 34:8; Psalms 100:5; Psalms 135:3; Psalms 145:9; Nahum 1:7
• 40. 2 Chronicles 5:13; 2 Chronicles 7:3; Ezra 3:11; Psalms 136:1-26; Jeremiah 33:11
• 41. Deuteronomy 32:15; Psalms 18:46; Psalms 38:22; Micah 7:7
• 42. Deuteronomy 27:15; S 1 Kings 8:15; Psalms 72:18-19
• 43. 2 Chronicles 8:14
• 44. S 1 Chronicles 13:13; 1 Chronicles 26:4-5
• 45. 1 Chronicles 26:10
• 46. S 1 Samuel 2:35; S 2 Samuel 8:17; S 1 Chronicles 12:28; 1 Chronicles 15:11
• 47. S Joshua 9:3; 1 Kings 3:4; 2 Chronicles 1:3
• 48. S Exodus 29:38; Numbers 28:1-8
• 49. S 1 Chronicles 15:19; 1 Chronicles 6:33; 1 Chronicles 25:1-6; 2 Chronicles 5:13
• 50. 2 Chronicles 7:6
• 51. 1 Chronicles 25:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "petition" ; or "invoke"
• [b]. See 15:18,20; Hebrew "Jeiel" , possibly another name for "Jaaziel" .
• [c]. Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew "Remember"
• [d]. One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 105:12); most Hebrew manuscripts "inherit," / 19"though you are but few in number," / "few indeed, and strangers in it.”" / 20"They"
• [e]. Or Lord"with the splendor of"

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