1 CHRONICLES 16 COMMENTARYEDITED BY GLENN PEASE

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.

BARNES, "The first three verses form part of the narrative commenced at 1Ch_15:25. Compare 2Sa_6:17-19, where the passage is not torn from its proper context.

GILL 1-3, "So they brought the ark of God,.... What is contained in these three verses is the same with 2Sa_6:17, see the notes there. See Gill on 2Sa_6:17. See Gill on 2Sa_6:18. See Gill on 2Sa_6:19.

HENRY 1-6, "It was a glorious day when the ark of God was safely lodged in the tent David had pitched for it. That good man had his heart much upon it, could not sleep contentedly till it was done, Psa_132:4, Psa_132:5.

I. The circumstances of the ark were now, 1. Better than what they had been. It had been obscure in a country town, in the fields of the wood; now it was removed to a public place, to the royal city, where all might resort to it. It had been neglected, as a despised broken vessel; now it was attended with veneration, and God was enquired of by it. It had borrowed a room in a private house, which it enjoyed by courtesy; now it had a habitation of its own entirely to itself, was set in the midst of it, and not crowded into a corner. Note, Though God's word and ordinances may be clouded and eclipsed for a time, they shall at length shine out of obscurity. Yet, 2. They were much short of what 1

was intended in the next reign, when the temple was to be built. This was but a tent, a poor mean dwelling; yet this was the tabernacle, the temple which David in his psalms often speaks of with so much affection. David, who pitched a tent for the ark and continued steadfast to it, did far better than Solomon, who built a temple for it and yet in his latter end turned his back upon it. The church's poorest times were its purest.II. Now David was easy in his mind, the ark was fixed, and fixed near him. Now see how he takes care, 1. That God shall have the glory of it. Two ways he gives him honour upon this occasion: - (1.) By sacrifices (1Ch_16:1), burnt-offerings in adoration of his perfections, peace-offerings in acknowledgment of his favours. (2.) By songs: he appointed Levites to record this story in a song for the benefit of others, or to celebrate it themselves by thanking and praising the God of Israel, 1Ch_16:4. All our rejoicings must express themselves in thanksgivings to him from whom all our comforts are received. 2. That the people shall have the joy of it. They shall fare the better for this day's solemnity; for he gives them all what is worth coming for, not only a royal treat in honour of the day (1Ch_16:3), in which 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); but (which is far better) he gives them also a blessing in the name of the Lord, as a father, as a prophet, 1Ch_16:2. He prayed to God for them, and commended them to his grace. In the name of the Word of the Lord (so the Targum), the essential eternal Word, who is Jehovah, and through whom all blessings come to us.

JAMISON, "1Ch_16:1-6. David’s festival sacrifice and liberality to the people.

K&D 1-3, "The religious festival, and the arrangement of the sacred service before the ark of the covenant in the city of David. - This section is not found in 2nd Samuel, where the Conclusion of this whole description (1Ch_16:43, Chron.) follows immediately upon the feasting of the people by the king, 1Ch_16:19 and 1Ch_16:20.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:1-3. So they brought back the ark of God — For these three verses, see notes on 2 Samuel 6:17-19. A flagon of wine — A draught of wine. — Hiller and Waterland.

COFFMAN, "These verses actually belong to the record of bringing the ark into Jerusalem in the previous chapter. "They make it clear that the sacrifices were presented by the whole community of Israel with the Levitical priests performing their proper functions. David appears here, not as a priest, but as the king who supervised the proper activities of worship."[1]

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TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.

Ver. l. And they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings] Those pointed them to Christ, freeing them from their sins, both from the crime and from the curse: these taught them thankfulness for Christ, and all benefits in and by him.

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:2 And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

Ver. 2. In the name of the Lord,] i.e., From Jehovah, the fountain and bestower of all good. Or, By the name of the Lord; i.e., by naming the Lord, the proper object of prayers and praises.

ELLICOTT, "(1) So they brought the ark of God.—1 Chronicles 16:1-3 are wrongly separated from the concluding verses of 1 Chronicles 15. The narrative is still parallel to 2 Sam. (2 Samuel 17-19 a). The differences are unimportant.God.—Samuel, Jehovah.And set it.—Samuel adds, “in its place.”And they offered burnt sacrifices.—Samuel, “and David offered [a different word] burnt sacrifices before Jehovah.” Our narrative takes care to make it clear that the priests and Levites ministered in the sacrifices.

PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:1-3

These three verses rather belong to the close of the last chapter, and they carry on the parallel of 2 Samuel 6:1-23. in its 2 Samuel 6:17-19.

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1 Chronicles 16:1

In the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. So 1 Chronicles 15:1 distinctly states that David had "pitched a tent" for the ark, and evidently to be ready for its arrival. On the other hand, there is no mention of any such tent having been got in readiness in 1 Chronicles 13:1-14. or in 2 Samuel 6:1-11, which give the account of the attempt that disastrously failed. The expressions which are there used would rather lead to the conclusion that David's intention was to take the sacred structure into his own home (2 Samuel 6:9, 2 Samuel 6:10; 1 Chronicles 13:12, 1 Chronicles 13:13), for a while, at all events. The אהל (tent) of the original designates, when Intended strictly, a haircloth covering, resting on poles or planks (Exodus 26:7, Exodus 26:11; Exodus 36:14, Exodus 36:19). The first occasion of the use of the word is found in Genesis 4:20. The סכח (booth) was made of leaves and branches interwoven (Le 23:34, 40; 42; Deuteronomy 16:13). The משכן (tabernacle) was the dwelling-place or pavilion, which owned to the ten inner curtains as well as the outer covering and the framework (Exodus 25:9; Exodus 26:1, Exodus 15-26:12 , etc.; Exodus 39:32; Exodus 40:2, Exodus 40:29). The first occurrence of this word is in the first of these last-quoted references. Burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. The identical words of 2 Samuel 6:17, 2 Samuel 6:18, where the Authorized Version translates "burnt offerings and peace offerings." These were the two great sacrifices—the former speaking of atonement (Le 2 Samuel 1:3-9, etc.), the latter of reconciliation effected and the enjoyment of peace (Le 2 Samuel 3:1-5, etc.). Neither here nor in the parallel place is any mention made of the altar upon which these sacrifices were offered.

PARKER, " David"s Thanksgiving

1 Chronicles 16

THROUGHOUT the Old Testament we are continually reminded of the conjunction of the Old and the New. This conjunction is set forth most distinctly in this verse. The ark of God represented that which was historical, and the tent which David had pitched for it represented the work of the current day. David did not make the ark;

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he only made the tent which it glorified. This indeed is all that we can do for any of the great revelations of God at this late period of history. We receive the Bible, we do not invent it or Revelation -edit it; it is ours, however, to build a tent for its reception; that is to say, a sanctuary or a church in which it is to be publicly read to the people. We made the church, we did not make the Bible. We must be careful, therefore, how we interfere with that which we did not create. We are at liberty to reconstruct our churches, but no man may add to the Word of Life or take away one line from its sacred integrity. It is not humbling to us that we have to receive some gifts and simply conserve them. The greatness of the gift destroys the possibility of humiliation. Where the gift is small, and unworthy of our progressive nature, there may indeed be some degree of humiliation connected with its continuance; but where the gift Isaiah , so to say, of the very nature of God himself, his highest thoughts, his supreme concern, then the custody of such a gift invests the custodian with eternal honour. The danger is lest we should merge the quality of the one possession with the quality of the other, thus imagining that the ark is only upon a level with the tent, or that the tent is of equal value with the ark itself. When will men learn to distinguish between things that differ and between things of relative importance in the kingdom of Christ? The ark consecrated whatever building it entered into, and so the Bible consecrates every edifice in which it is reverently read. "Our earthly house of this tabernacle" is a phrase which relates to all institutions and ceremonies of intermediate or secondary value, and all such institutions and ceremonies are to be regarded as subservient to the revelation of the ark of God, or in our case the revelation of the cross of Christ, which takes the place of the ancient ark, as representing the conjunction of law and mercy in the atonement made for sin by the Son of God. David "pitched" the tent, but he only "brought the ark;" David"s solicitude for holy things was none the less that he did not create or build the ark itself: he did what lay within his power with a cheerful heart and an industrious hand, and therein lay all the honour of his useful ministry. One thing more however was done, namely, the offering of burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. Such sacrifices and offerings derived the whole of their value from the presence of the ark. In this respect the ark performed the office of mediation. So in the Christian Church to-day all offerings, sacrifices, and acts of adoration, are utterly valueless except as they are offered at the cross and sanctified by the spiritual meaning of Christ"s offering.

"And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh,

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and a flagon of wine" ( 1 Chronicles 16:2-3).

Here again is a service having a distinctly twofold relation,—the one upward towards God, and the other downward towards the people. David could not have blessed the people if he had not first offered the burnt offerings and the peace offerings commanded by the law. What is this whole office but another way of stating the two cardinal commandments—Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself? David"s first and long lingering look was towards God, in his majesty and holiness and condescension: then, having, so to say, identified himself with the living God, David turned towards the people and pronounced a priestly benediction upon them. The people were blessed in the name of the Lord; that is to say, the benediction was intensely religious; humanity was baptised in the divine name, and glorified by that name, and united indissolubly in that name. Looked at amongst themselves men appear to be separated and dissociated one from another, each having his individual characteristic and each asserting his personal claim. The human race is thus an endless series of jealous and angry rivalries. Something is needed to bring the whole into vital relations part with part, and that something is "the name of the Lord." This was the designation given to the uniting force in the old dispensation; in the Christian economy the uniting energy is found in the Son of man. Apart from the mediation and rule of Jesus Christ men must live in perpetual conflict, misunderstanding one another, and urging upon one another unrighteous and unreasonable claims. The reconciliation of all human interests is in the Son of God. Where Jesus Christ reigns in the heart every concession is made to his authority; men ask one another what Christ would have them do, and they concur in sweet consent to seek his will and to abide by it, knowing that however much personal relations may be changed as to attitude and value, in the end it will be shown that Jesus Christ knew what was in Prayer of Manasseh , and knew also what was best for every man to be and to do. Even if this were only a sentimental energy, it is full of beneficence in reference to all human relations: it checks ambition, it subdues selfishness, it enables the man to magnify the virtues of others, and it creates in the soul that sweet courtesy and brotherhood without which trustful and helpful life is impossible.

Not only did David bless the people in the name of the Lord, but dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, some outward and visible sign of goodwill and fellowship; he dealt to every one a loaf of bread—a round cake—a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine,—rather, a raisin-cake, or mass of dried grapes. Soul and

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body are cared for in the Church. However high the enthusiasm, however ecstatic the joy, Jesus Christ never neglected what was practically needful in the case of every man. This is what the Church should do at all times. Its worship should be supreme, a very rapture of gladness; then it should be a benediction pronounced upon the people; and then it should be a gift of what is needful for the body as well as for the soul. All the wants of men should be supplied in the Church and by the Church. We are too much afraid of the word "secular" when we speak of religious relations and fellowships. We say that bread and flesh and wine belong to the market and not to the sanctuary. In a very narrow sense that may be true, but in the widest sense the Church should be the inclusive institution. It would seem that this principle was recognised by Jesus Christ when he said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things"—bread and flesh and wine— "shall be added unto you." All the tenderest memories of the heart should cluster around the Church. Men should be able to say, It was at the Church I found reconciliation with God, peace with my fellow-men, a blessing fitted for the heart in all its faculties and aspirations, contentment of mind—all blessings indeed for the body, all healthy and helpful enjoyments and recreations needed for the relaxation of the mind, and the retuning of its powers to resume the higher music of life. When did Jesus Christ ever send any one away from the Church to get a want supplied by some other minister? He had everything in his own hand, and he opened that hand without stint or grudging, that the whole hunger of mankind might be satisfied.

After appointing certain Levites to minister before the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel; after appointing Asaph the chief and others to follow him in the service of music, with psalteries and with harps, with a sound of cymbals, and with trumpets, David himself delivered a psalm to thank the Lord, calling upon Asaph and his brethren to set that psalm to music. Viewed as an ancient song the psalm is full of gracious suggestion. It calls upon the people to "give thanks unto the Lord." The exercise of gratitude has an ennobling and a purifying effect upon the heart which practises it. David repeatedly insists upon the offering of thanks unto the Lord. This is not sentimental religion, it is religion founded upon reason, and suiting itself to the fitness of things. To receive benefits without returning thanks for them is to depress the mind from the elevation which is possible to it, and take away from the mind what may be called its wings, on which it flies back to the All-giving God, that he may be blessed for the blessings he has bestowed. David will have this expression of gratitude rendered in song—"Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him." This is the highest form of worship. Not only judgment, conscience, will, affection, but imagination and music are pressed into this holy

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service. What mouth can speak words of evil after it has been filled with religious song? Would not the attempt to send forth from the same mouth praise and cursing convict any man of an irony amounting to falsehood? With which of them should the mouth be credited, with the praise or with the curse? In which was the real man expressed? Happy he who can answer that his whole soul is uttered in religious music and aspiration, and that when any other word escapes his lips it is but an occasional break or flaw in the steady outgoing and uprising of his soul towards heaven.

The whole song which David indited was founded upon history—"Give thanks unto the Lord, make known his deeds among the people," and again, "Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth." When men are called upon to praise God from a historical standpoint, their song may indeed be loud and sweet, for all the facts of history come to suggest the sentiment and to ennoble the music. The worshippers are not praising a God who is in the clouds, far off and unseen; he is one whose judgments are in all the earth, whose proofs of existence and government are to be found in the heart of every man who takes part in singing his praise. Nor will the psalmist have the covenant forgotten. When great miracles and wonders are wrought in the sight of all the people, he traces these tokens back to the covenant which God made, and the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Nothing occurs in the history of providence which surprises the psalmist in such a degree as to suspend his recollection of the ancient covenant. Whatever occurs, occurs as a comment upon the divine word. Nowhere does he say that anything new has been spoken, but everywhere he shows that some new illustration is being constantly given of the strength and goodness of the covenant of God. Hear how he speaks—"Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; and hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant." Thus, what we found in the first verse is repeated in the psalm. In the highest music true and simple history is never forgotten; whatever flowers of poetry or song may blossom in the psalmist"s garden, he always finds underneath them the solid rocks of divine covenant and providence. He is not forgetful of the fact that there were times when the covenant seemed to be set aside, and when God"s people were in a state of chaos, and were almost at the mercy of those who despised them—"When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; he suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." Through all

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the undulation of circumstances there ran the unchangeable line of promise. We are not to look at our circumstances and suppose that the divine purpose is as mutable as themselves, always coming, always going, often disappointing the heart, and throwing down the pride of man into confusion and shame. In life we find what we have found in the first verse of this chapter—a conjunction of the divine and the human, the immutable and the changeable, the covenantal and the circumstantial. What is it that has changed? In no case is the change to be found in the covenant of God, but always in the conduct of the people and their outward relations to one another, and to the peoples round about. Wherever good men wander they are still God"s anointed, and are still reckoned among his prophets; though they be homeless wanderers in the desert, they do not lose their divine election, or any of the honour which that election implies; though the Son of man had not where to lay his head, he was still the Son of man. When we turn away our eyes from our circumstances to the divine covenant we shall find rest and peace,—yea, a double assurance, an infinite comfort and security. We do not trust for our illumination to lights which men have kindled, but to those luminous orbs which lie beyond the touch of the hands of men. "My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth: he will not suffer thy foot to be moved." So great was the religious joy of David, that he would have all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues unite in the psalm of adoration. Even for this universal praise he assigns a reason, that reason being the greatness of the Lord. David does not call the people to worship One whose greatness was unattested, but to worship him who reigns over all the earth, a gracious Sovereign, a loving Father, whose mercy endureth for ever. It is indeed this word that gives the song all its nobleness and value—" his mercy endureth for ever." All men may not be able to appreciate power or glory, but who cannot respond to the appeal of mercy, compassion, pity; love? The answer of the people showed that there was something in the song which touched every instinct—"And all the people said Amen, and praised the Lord." Some songs at once establish their claim to universal confidence. They come to us as if we had heard them in some other world; they have not to make their way into our affection and regard, instantly they attach themselves to the memory and awaken within us all our noblest powers; we feel indeed as if we must take part in them, as if to withhold our voices from the utterance of such songs were to deny the heart some gracious and inviolable right. Herein lies the great appeal of Jesus Christ. His gospel is not a lesson to be learned in a foreign tongue, a doctrine to be represented by dreams which are strange to our minds and to our senses; it is rather a gospel which needs only to be spoken in order to find its echo throughout our whole nature: it is the gospel we need; it is the very word we have been waiting for; it fulfils our expectation; it fills the heart to overflow.

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Now the song is ended, the work of detailed religion began. David "left before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day"s work required" ( 1 Chronicles 16:37). So it is in our own religious life. There are days of high festival and thrilling Song of Solomon , when the whole life seems to be given up to the joy of music; then there comes the time when we must descend from rapture to daily toil, to detailed and critical service, to all the minor industries which are at once a test of character and a blessing to those who are interested in their discharge. Every day has its work. We must see to it that there are no arrears in our Christian service. He who leaves over from one day to another what he ought to have done on the first will find his life crowded and confused. Discipline is the very soul of religion. We do not grow in grace by fits and starts, by doing two days" work in one, or by showing our great skill and energy in the discharge of arrears; we grow little by little, line by line, almost imperceptibly, and only at the end do we see how minute has been the process, how detailed the whole exercise through which the mind has passed. David himself had his detailed work to attend to; we read in the forty-third verse, "David returned to bless his house." We cannot always live in public; it is true that we have tent-work to do, temple-work, sanctuary-work, great public and philanthropic appeals to respond to, but when all that which is external or public has been done, every man must bless his own home, make his own children glad, make his own hearthstone as bright as he possibly can, and fill his own house with music and gladness. The danger of the day probably is that men may live too much in public; that they may care more for the platform than for the hearthstone, and be rather anxious to take part in the loud trumpeting of the sanctuary than in the quiet and loving household. This ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone. We are not called upon to give up either the public or the private, but to find a way of uniting them, and making the one balance the other in discipline, in service, and in gladness.

GUZIK, "A. The ark is brought into the prepared tent.

1. (1 Chronicles 16:1-3) David gives the assembly a feast.

So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before

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God. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. Then he distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins.

a. They brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle: After many years - since the ark was lost in battle - the ark is returned to the center of Israel’s national consciousness. The emblem of God’s presence and glory was set at its proper place in Israel.

b. When David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings: The burnt offerings spoke of consecration. The peace offerings spoke of fellowship. This was a day of great consecration and fellowship with God. It was also a great barbeque and meal for all the people.

i. These sacrifices were an important part of the ceremony, neglected in the first attempt to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. “These pointed them to Christ, freeing them from their sins, both from the crime and from the curse; these taught them thankfulness for Christ, and all benefits in and by him.” (Trapp)

ii. “The second item of food (known only here and in 2 Samuel 6:19) was either a cake of dates or a ‘portion of meat’ (REB, NEB, NSRV cf. GNB, AV) - if the latter is correct, it was an especially generous act since meat rarely appeared on domestic menus in ancient Israel.” (Selman)

iii. “Most flesh from the peace offerings was eaten by the people themselves, sitting down, as it were, as guests of God’s table, in a meal celebrating the restoration of their peace with him.” (Payne)

GUZIK, "2. (1 Chronicles 16:4-6) Worship leaders are appointed to lead the congregation.

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And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God.

a. And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark: At the end of this spectacular day of celebration, David established an enduring institution of worship and commemoration at the ark of the covenant. It wasn’t to be a one-day high, but an ongoing ministry unto God.

i. “David’s appointment then of Levites to minister in music and praise to God marks a significant advance in the history of Israel’s worship. His previous arrangements for music had been devised for just one occasion; but now a continuing service is envisioned.” (Payne)

b. He appointed some of the Levites . . . to commemorate: In the Levitical appointments for that day and beyond, David selected some Levites to focus on commemorating what great things God had done. Simply remembering God’s great works is an important and often neglected part of the Christian life. Spurgeon (in his sermon The Recorders) noted several ways that we can help ourselves remember the great things of God:

· Make an actual record of what God has done, keeping a written journal.

· Be sure to praise God thoroughly at the time you receive His goodness.

· Set apart time for meditation on the good things God has done.

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· Talk about His mercy often to other people.

· Use everything around you as reminders to the goodness of God.

c. Asaph the chief: This indicates that David though the Levites had appointed Heman as the leader of worship (1 Chronicles 15:17), at this time David elevated Asaph to this position.

i. “No reason is given, though Asaph did represent the senior Levitcal clan of Gershon (1 Chronicles 6:39-43). Personal ability may also have been a contributing factor, for Asaph and his descendants are listed as composers for twelve of the inspired Old Testament psalms.” (Payne)

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

CLARKE, "He blessed the people - “He blessed the people in the name of the Word of the Lord.” - T.

JAMISON, "he blessed the people in the name of the Lord — The king commended their zeal, supplicated the divine blessing upon them, and ordered the remains of the thank offerings which had been profusely sacrificed during the procession, to be distributed in certain proportions to every individual, that the ceremonial might terminate with appropriate festivities (Deu_12:7).

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ELLICOTT, " (2) The burnt offerings.—Heb., the burnt offering, as if one great holocaust were meant. This verse is identical with 2 Samuel 6:18, only omitting Sabaoth at the end, a Divine title which was perhaps obsolete in the chronicler’s day.He blessed the people in the name of the Lord.—Comp. Numbers 6:22-27; 1 Kings 8:14; 1 Kings 8:55; Deuteronomy 33:1.

PULPIT, "He blessed the people in the name of the Lord; i.e. reverently in the Name of the Lord, and as vividly conscious of being in his presence, he pronounces blessings upon the people, and by short ejaculatory prayer and holy wish further begs for them those blessings which God only can give. In the time of David and Solomon (1 Kings 8:14) the king realized far more closely the idea of the paternal relation to the people than had ever been since the time of the patriarchs of the elder days.

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

CLARKE, "To every one a loaf of bread - A whole cake. A good piece of flesh; “the sixth part of an ox, and the sixth part of a hin of wine.” - T. See 2Sa_6:18-20; see Jarchi also.

JAMISON, "flagon of wine — The two latter words are a supplement by our translators, and the former is, in other versions, rendered not a “flagon,” but a “cake,” a confection, as the Septuagint renders it, made of flour and honey.

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TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon [of wine].Ver. 3. And he dealt to every one of Israel.] Clemency and liberality are kingly virtues. See 2 Samuel 6:19.A good piece of flesh.] Of roast beef, as some gather from the notation of the word here used.

ELLICOTT, " (3) To every one . . .—Literally, to every man of Israel from man unto woman. Samuel has, “to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man,” &c.A loaf (kikkar).—A round cake (1 Samuel 2:36). The parallel in Samuel has a less common word (hallath), meaning a sacrificial cake punctured all over. (Comp. Exodus 29:23.)A good piece of flesh.—A single Hebrew term, found only here and in Samuel (’eshpâr). It seems to mean “a portion,” i.e., of the victims slain for the “peace offerings.” (The “burnt offerings” were wholly consumed on the altar.) Syriac, “a portion.” Arabic, “a slice of flesh.” Others interpret, “a measure of wine.”A flagon of wine.—Rather, a raisin-cake—i.e., a mass of dried grapes (Hosea 3:1); Isaiah 16:7, “raisin-cakes of Kir-hareseth.”

PULPIT, "Each little clause of this verse is replete with interest. The royal giver, who now dealt to every one of Israel, was, after all, but a channel; yes, and only one channel, through which the fulness and the bounty of the royal Giver of every good and perfect gift, of all good whatsoever, of all things necessary to life and godliness, are supplied to every one of his creature-subjects. But it is highest honour, as servant and instrument alone, to figure forth him in any way. The second little clause tells us either that women took a recognized place on occasion of this joyous festival, or that the hospitality of such an occasion did not forget them and their homes. And the following three little clauses require closer examination. The word here translated "loaf" in the expression loaf of bread is ככר, for which in this sense we may turn to Exodus 29:23 ; 8:5; 1 Samuel 2:36; 1 Samuel 10:3; Proverbs 6:26; Jeremiah 37:21. The corresponding word, however, in the parallel place is חלח (for which see Exodus 29:2, Exodus 29:23; Le Exodus 2:4; Exodus 7:12, Exodus 7:13;

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Exodus 8:26; Exodus 24:5; Numbers 6:15, Numbers 6:19; Numbers 15:20). The essential meaning of the former word is a circle, hence applied to the cake because of its shape, and of the latter word perforation, hence applied to the cake because it was perforated. A good piece of flesh. This is the Authorized Version rendering of which occurs only in the parallel place and here. The Vulgate translates ,אשפרassatura bubulae carnis; the Septuagint, ἐσχαρίτη . The imagined derivation of the word from פר (ox) and אש (fire), or from שפד (to burn), seems to be what has led to these translations, helped, perhaps, by the apparent convenience of adapting meat from the sacrifice to the bread. But Gesenius, Rodiger, Keil, and others prefer the derivation שפר (to measure), and they would render "a measure" of wine. And a flagon. This is the Authorized Version rendering of the original אשישה, found in the parallel place as well as here, and also in the only other places (two in number, and in the plural) where it occurs (Song of Solomon 2:5 ; Hosea 3:1). But there is no doubt, or but little, that the rendering should rather be "dried, pressed cakes of raisins or grapes." It is then to be derived from the root אשש (to press). The substantive has both masculine and feminine form in plural. The Vulgate translates similam frixam oleo, which means a "baked cake of flour and oil;" and the Septuagint, λάγανον ἀπὸ τηγάνου in the parallel places. But here the Septuagint reads ἄρτον ενα ἀρτοκοπικὸν καὶ ἀμορίτην as the whole account of the loaf, the good piece of flesh, and the flagon.

BI, "And He dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman.IndividualityI. The great event itself does not absorb all. We can easily understand how the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem would have absorbed all minor considerations, but it does not. Israel is not generalised into simply the male heads of the families; the bread and flesh are distributed to “both man and woman.” God was being glorified, and simultaneously the people blessed. Diffusion is what God delights in; He connects the blessing of many with His own glory.II. There was a special provision here for personal enjoyment. The placing of the ark in its tent of rest was not to be a mere historical fact, involving no personal enjoyments. It is not in bare abstractions that God delights, but in their bearing upon individuals. Perhaps one reason why the future glory of Christ is so unsubstantial to many, and operates so little on their feelings, and raises so few thoughts of joyousness in them, is the fact that they see so little of its bearing upon themselves. The beams of this glory are to light up every individual; every believer has actually a personal interest in them. Each man has his own independent existence with its longings and aspirations, and no generality will satisfy them. He must have for his own very self. This is not selfishness; it is a law grounded on the very constitution of our nature. No future lies before God’s people in which God Himself absorbs everything. He will pervade all, which is a very different thing.

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III. We are struck with the distinct individuality of each. We cannot be too particular in preserving our individuality. It is the foundation of our responsibility, of His closest dealings with us, of all our capacity for happiness or sorrow in the time to come. Every man is to give account of himself to God; every man is to receive according to his works.IV. The consciousness of individual life is the foundation of individual effort. Let us be encouraged, then, to have individual expectations. Let us link ourselves individually with the great events of God. Both man and woman triumphed in the bringing up of the ark; and both had the portion of bread and flesh and wine. (P. B. Power, M. A.)

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:

BARNES, "This passage is interposed by the writer of Chronicles between two sentences of the parallel passage in Samuel. It contains a detailed account of the service which David instituted at this time, a service out of which grew the more elaborate service of the temple. The language of much of the passage is remarkably archaic, and there can be no reasonable doubt that it is in the main an extract from a record of the time of David.

GILL, "And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord,.... By singing the praises of God: and to record; or bring to remembrance; to commemorate in a song the great and good things God had done for Israel as a people: and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel; for all his benefits, and the blessings of his goodness bestowed on them.

JAMISON 4-6, "he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord — No sooner was the ark deposited in its tent than the Levites, who were to officiate in the choirs before it, entered upon their duties. A select number of the musicians were chosen for the service from the list (1Ch_15:19-21) of those who had taken a prominent part in the recent procession. The same arrangement was to be

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observed in their duties, now that the ark again was stationary; Asaph, with his associates, composing the first or principal company, played with cymbals; Zechariah and his colleagues, with whom were conjoined Jeiel and Obed-edom, forming the second company, used harps and similar instruments.

K&D 4-6, "When the solemnity of the transfer of the ark, the sacrificial meal, and the dismissal of the people with a blessing, and a distribution of food, were ended, David set in order the service of the Levites in the holy tent on Zion. He appointed before the ark, from among the Levites, servants to praise and celebrate God, i.e., singers and players to sing psalms as a part of the regular worship. להזכיר, literally, “in order to bring into remembrance,” is not to praise in general, but is to be interpreted according to the להזכיר in the superscription of Ps 38 and Psa_70:1-5, by which these psalms are designated as the appointed prayers at the presentation of the Azcarah of the meat-offering (Lev_2:2). הזכיר accordingly is a denom. from אזכרה, to present the Azcarah (cf. Del. on Psa_38:1), and is in our verse to be understood of the recital of these prayer-songs with musical accompaniment. ת ד to confess, refers to the psalms in which ,הinvocation and acknowledgment of the name of the Lord predominates, and הלל to those in which praise (Hallelujah) is the prominent feature. In 1Ch_16:5 and 1Ch_16:6there follow the names of the Levites appointed for this purpose, who have all been already mentioned in 1Ch_15:19-21 as accompanying the ark in its transmission; but all who are there spoken of are not included in our list here. Of the chief singers only Asaph is mentioned, Heman and Ethan being omitted; of the singers and players of the second rank, only nine; six of the eight nebel-players (1Ch_15:20. יעיאל is a transcriber's error for 1 ,יעזיאלCh_15:18), and only three of the six kinnor-players; while instead of seven trumpet-blowing priests only two are named, viz., Benaiah, one of those seven, and Jehaziel, whose name does not occur in 1Ch_15:24.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:4. To record, and to thank and praise the Lord, &c. — To rehearse and declare unto the people the wonderful works God had done for Israel, and to give him thanks for them, and to extol his almighty goodness and his glorious perfections. All our rejoicings should express themselves in thanksgivings to him from whom all our comforts are received.

COFFMAN, "It is not altogether clear just exactly what some of these appointments included; but, of course, the persons receiving these appointments and instructions understood them and carried out their duties as instructed. It is very significant that David was diligent to set up all of these provisions for establishing on a permanent

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basis the worship of God in Jerusalem.

WHEDON, "4. To record, and to thank and praise — The verb rendered to record is the same as that in the titles of Psalms 38, 70, where it is rendered to bring to remembrance. The contents of those psalms are a memorial to God of the penitence, sufferings, and dangers of a tempted soul. So, along with thanksgiving and praise, the Levites were also to memorialize Jehovah of Israel’s needs and sorrows by the use of such penitential psalms.

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:4 And he appointed [certain] of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:Ver. 4. And to record.] Or, To declare and publish.And to thank and praise.] God is good, and so is the object of praise. He also doeth good, and so is the object of thanks.

ELLICOTT, " (4) And he appointed certain of the Levites.—Literally, put, placed (Genesis 3:12).To minister.—Literally, ministering—i.e., as ministers. The object of the appointment is defined by the words which follow: “both to remind, and to thank, and to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel.” Each verb expresses a distinct kind of duty in the service of song.To record is the technical term for chanting the psalms which accompanied the sacrificial burning of the Azkârâh, that is, the part of the meat offering that was presented on the altar (Leviticus 2:2). (Comp. the use of the cognate verb in the titles of Psalms 38, 70)To thank was to perform psalms of invocation, and confession of benefits received.To praise was to sing and play hymns of hallelujah such as Psalms 146-150.These Levites were to minister thus before the Ark in the sacred tent of Mount Zion.Verses 4-42

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(4-42) THE INSTITUTION OF A MINISTRY FOR THE ARK. THE ODE SUNG ON THE DAY OF INSTITUTION.This entire section is peculiar to the Chronicle. 1 Chronicles 16:43 is almost identical with 2 Samuel 6:19-20. Compared, then, with the older text, this relation of the chronicler’s looks like a parenthesis interpolated from another source into the history, as narrated in 2 Samuel 6:12-20.

PULPIT, "To minister; i.e. to officiate, as we should say, in the service before the ark. The verse seems to describe what should be the essence of that service. It was threefold—to record, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel. The word here used for "record" is the Hiph. of זכר (to remember), and is remarked upon by Gesenius as a title strictly appropriate to the character of the two psalms 38. and 70; on the head of which it stands, as meaning, "to make others remember" (see also such passages as Exodus 20:24; 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 18:18; 2 Samuel 20:24; Isaiah 43:26; Isaiah 63:7). The minds of the people were to be refreshed in this service and in their very psalm of praise (so note in this sense 1 Chronicles 16:8, 1Chronicles 16:9, 1 Chronicles 16:12, 1 Chronicles 16:21, etc.), by being reminded or told, so far as the youngest of them might be concerned, of God's marvellous and merciful deeds for their forefathers of many, many a generation. Then they were to give intelligent and hearty thanks. And, lastly, they were to offer to approach that purest form of worship which consists in adoring praise. One might imagine with what zest they would have accepted, with what fervour they would have added lip and instrument of music to it—that one verse which needed the revolution yet of nearly another three thousand years, that it might flow from the devotion or' Addison.

"When all thy mercies, O my God,My rising soul surveys,Transported with the view I'm lostIn wonder, love, and praise."

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BI 4-7, "And to record.The recordersThese recorders were to take notes of what God had done; they were to be the chroniclers of the nation, and out of their chronicles they were to compose the psalms and songs. The original of the word “record” bears another meaning—“to bring to remembrance.” We gather—I. That if recorders were appointed, there is some fault in our memory towards the Lord.

1. Memory has been prejudiced by the fall.2. Memory towards God’s mercy has been very much impaired by neglect.3. Memory touching God’s mercy is often overloaded with other things. I think Aristotle used to call memory the stomach of the soul, in which it retains and digests what it gathers; but men cram it full of everything that it does not want—upon which the soul cannot feed, and thus they ruin it for remembering the best things.4. Memory has also suffered from its connection with the other faculties.

(1) Darkened understandings.(2) Perverted affections.

5. Our memory of God’s goodness is often crushed down by a sense of present pain.II. That we ought to do all we can to assist our memories towards God.

1. It is a good thing to make an actual record of God’s mercy.2. Be sure to praise God thoroughly at the time you receive His goodness.3. Set apart a little time for meditation.4. Often rehearse His mercy in the ears of others.5. Use everything about you as a memento.

III. We have all had mercies to remember.1. Common mercies.2. Special providence.3. The long-suffering of God.

IV. That all our memories should tend to make us praise and bless God. Rowland Hill used to say that worldlings were like the hogs under the oak, which eat the acorns, but never think of the oak from which they fall, nor lift up their heads to grunt out a thanksgiving. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

And Jeiel with psalteries and with harps.—The meaning of songThe meaning of song goes deep. Who is there that in logical words can express the effect that music has on us? A kind of inarticulate, unfathomable speech, which leads us to the edge of the infinite, and lets us for moments gaze into that. (T. Carlyle.)

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Musical talent dedicated to GodJenny Lind believed that her art was the gift of God, and to be dedicated to His service. “I have always put Him first,” said she, in her last illness. (Church Worker.)

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,

BARNES, "1Ch_16:5The occurrence of the name “Jeiel” twice in this list is considered suspicious. Hence, the first “Jeiel” is thought to be a corrupt reading for “Aziel” 1Ch_15:20, or “Jaaziel” 1Ch_15:18.

CLARKE, "Asaph - See the preceding chapter, 1Ch_15:17 (note), etc.

GILL, "Asaph the chief,.... Of those that were now appointed: otherwise, of the three principal singers, Heman was the chief, and Asaph next, 1Ch_6:33. and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, with psalteries, and with harps; to play upon them before the ark at the same time the psalms and songs were vocally sung; the above persons are such as are named before, 1Ch_15:18, but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; he struck and played upon them, see 1Ch_15:19.

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JAMISON, "Jeiel — the same as Aziel (1Ch_15:20).

K&D, "When the solemnity of the transfer of the ark, the sacrificial meal, and the dismissal of the people with a blessing, and a distribution of food, were ended, David set in order the service of the Levites in the holy tent on Zion. He appointed before the ark, from among the Levites, servants to praise and celebrate God, i.e., singers and players to sing psalms as a part of the regular worship. להזכיר, literally, “in order to bring into remembrance,” is not to praise in general, but is to be interpreted according to the להזכיר in the superscription of Ps 38 and Psa_70:1-5, by which these psalms are designated as the appointed prayers at the presentation of the Azcarah of the meat-offering (Lev_2:2). הזכיר accordingly is a denom. from אזכרה, to present the Azcarah (cf. Del. on Psa_38:1), and is in our verse to be understood of the recital of these prayer-songs with musical accompaniment. ת ד to confess, refers to the psalms in which ,הinvocation and acknowledgment of the name of the Lord predominates, and הלל to those in which praise (Hallelujah) is the prominent feature. In 1Ch_16:5 and 1Ch_16:6there follow the names of the Levites appointed for this purpose, who have all been already mentioned in 1Ch_15:19-21 as accompanying the ark in its transmission; but all who are there spoken of are not included in our list here. Of the chief singers only Asaph is mentioned, Heman and Ethan being omitted; of the singers and players of the second rank, only nine; six of the eight nebel-players (1Ch_15:20. יעיאל is a transcriber's error for 1 ,יעזיאלCh_15:18), and only three of the six kinnor-players; while instead of seven trumpet-blowing priests only two are named, viz., Benaiah, one of those seven, and Jehaziel, whose name does not occur in 1Ch_15:24.

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;Ver. 5. Asaph the chief.] Yet in other places Heman is set before him. [1 Chronicles 6:33; 1 Chronicles 6:39; 1 Chronicles 15:16-17]

ELLICOTT, " (5, 6) The names of the persons appointed—ten Levites and two priests—all of whom but one, Jahaziel, were in the procession described in 1 Chronicles 15:19-21.Asaph the chief, and next to him (his second) Zechariah.—See 1 Chronicles 15:18.

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Jeiel.—A scribe’s error for “Jaaziel” (1 Chronicles 15:18).With psalteries and with harps.—With instruments of harps and lutes (appositive or defining genitive).But Asaph made a sound with cymbals.—Literally, and Asaph with cymbals clanging.

PULPIT, "Obed-edom. No colon should follow this name. And the first time of the occurrence of the name Jeiel in this verse should probably have shown the Jaaziel of 1 Chronicles 15:18. The contents of this verse put us, then, into possession of this much, that Asaph presided (1 Chronicles 6:39) at this musical service, and that his instrument was the cymbals (1 Chronicles 15:19), with which time was kept; that Zechariah was next to him, and, with eight others formed a band, who played on psalteries (or lutes) and harps. If we may guide ourselves by verse 20, 21 of the preceding chapter, three of these—viz. Mattithia, Jeiel, Obed-edom—performed on the harp, the other six on the psaltery, or lute.

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

GILL, "Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests,.... These were appointed to blow with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; morning and evening.

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:6 Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets

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continually before the ark of the covenant of God.Ver. 6. Continually.] That is, Constantly at set hours.

ELLICOTT, " (6) Jahaziel.—Not mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15, unless he be the Eliezer of 1 Chronicles 16:24. The number of these musicians is twelve, suggesting the twelve tribes of Israel.With trumpets.—Clarions, or straight trumpets.Continually.—The Hebrew term is a special one, denoting at fixed and regularly recurring services.

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

CLARKE, "David delivered first this psalm - I believe the meaning of this place to be this: David made the psalm on the occasion above specified; and delivered it to Asaph, who was the musician, and to his brethren, to be sung by them in honor of what God had done in behalf of his people.

GILL 7-34, "Then on that day,.... The ark was brought to Zion, and the above persons appointed to minister before it: David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren to be sung by them now, and on every proper occasion; and this seems to be the first that was delivered to them; afterwards there were many more, as the titles of the psalms show; the following is composed of part of two others, as they now stand in the book of Psalms. From hence, to the end of 1Ch_16:22 is the same with

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Psa_105:1, with a little variation, see the notes there; and from thence to the end of 1Ch_16:33 is Psa_96:1 which see; and 1Ch_16:34 is the same with Psa_106:1, see the notes there. See Gill on Psa_106:1, Psa_107:1, Psa_105:1, Psa_105:2, Psa_105:3, Psa_105:4, Psa_105:5, Psa_105:6, Psa_105:7, Psa_105:8, Psa_105:9, Psa_105:10, Psa_105:11,on Psa_105:12, Psa_105:13, Psa_105:14,on Psa_105:15

HENRY 7-36, "We have here the thanksgiving psalm which David, by the Spirit, composed, and delivered to the chief musician, to be sung upon occasion of the public entry the ark made into the tent prepared for it. Some think he appointed this hymn to be daily used in the temple service, as duly as the day came; whatever other psalms they sung, they must not omit this. David had penned many psalms before this, some in the time of his trouble by Saul. This was composed before, but was now first delivered into the hand of Asaph, for the use of the church. It is gathered out of several psalms (from the beginning to 1Ch_16:23 is taken from Psa_105:1, etc.; and then 1Ch_16:23 is the whole 96th psalm, with little variation; 1Ch_16:34 is taken from Psa_136:1 and divers others; and then the last two verses are taken from the close of Ps. 106), which some think warrants us to do likewise, and make up hymns out of David's psalms, a part of one and a part of another put together so as may be most proper to express and excite the devotion of Christians. These psalms will be best expounded in their proper places (if the Lord will); here we take them as they are put together, with a design to thank the Lord (1Ch_16:7), a great duty, to which we need to be excited and in which we need to be assisted. 1. Let God be glorified in our praises; let his honour be the centre in which all the lines meet. Let us glorify him by our thanksgivings (Give thanks to the Lord), by our prayers (Call on his name, 1Ch_16:8), by our songs (Sing psalms unto him), by our discourse - Talk of all his wondrous works, 1Ch_16:9. Let us glorify him as a great God, and greatly to be praised (1Ch_16:25), as supreme God (above all gods), as sole God, for all others are idols, 1Ch_16:26. Let us glorify him as most bright and blessed in himself (Glory and honour are in his presence, 1Ch_16:27), as creator (The Lord made the heavens), as the ruler of the whole creation (His judgments are in all the earth, 1Ch_16:14), and as ours - He is the Lord our God. Thus must we give unto the Lord the glory due to his name (1Ch_16:28, 1Ch_16:29), and own it, and much more, his due. 2. Let other be edified and instructed: Make known his deeds among the people (1Ch_16:8), declare his glory among the heathen (1Ch_16:24), that those who are strangers to him may be led into acquaintance with him, allegiance to him, and the adoration of him. Thus must we serve the interests of his kingdom among men, that all the earth may fear before him, 1Ch_16:30. 3. Let us be ourselves encouraged to triumph and trust in God. Those that give glory to God's name are allowed to glory in it (1Ch_16:10), to value themselves upon their relation to God and venture themselves upon his promise to them. Let the heart of those rejoice that seek the Lord, much more of those that have found him. Seek him, and his strength, and his face: that is, seek him by the ark of his strength, in which he manifests himself. 4. Let the everlasting covenant be the great matter of our joy and praise (1Ch_16:15): Be mindful of his covenant. In the parallel place it is, He will be ever mindful of it, Psa_105:8. Seeing God never will forget it, we never must. The covenant is said to be commanded, because God has obliged us to obey the conditions of it, and because he has both authority to make the promise and ability to make it good. This covenant was ancient, yet never to be forgotten. It was made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were long since dead (1Ch_16:16-18), yet still sure to the spiritual seed, and the promises of it pleadable. 5. Let God's former mercies to his

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people of old, to our ancestors and our predecessors in profession, be commemorated by us now with thankfulness to his praise. Let it be remembered how God protected the patriarchs in their unsettled condition. When they came strangers to Canaan and were sojourners in it, when they were few and might easily have been swallowed up, when they were continually upon the remove and so exposed, when there were many that bore them ill-will and sought to do them mischief, yet no man was suffered to do them wrong - not the Canaanites, Philistines, Egyptians. Kings were reproved and plagued for their sakes. Pharaoh was so, and Abimelech. They were the anointed of the Lord,sanctified by his grace, sanctified by his glory, and had received the unction of the Spirit. They were his prophets, instructed in the things of God themselves and commissioned to instruct others (and prophets are said to be anointed, 1Ki_19:16; Isa_61:1); therefore, if any touch them, they touch the apple of God's eye; if any harm them, it is at their peril, 1Ch_16:19-22. 6. Let the great salvation of the Lord be especially the subject of our praises (1Ch_16:23): Show forth from day to day his salvation, that is (says bishop Patrick), his promised salvation by Christ. We have reason to celebrate that from day to day; for we daily receive the benefits of it, and it is a subject that can never be exhausted. 7. Let God be praised by a due and constant attendance upon him in the ordinances he has appointed: Bring an offering, then the fruit of the ground, now the fruit of the lips,of the heart (Heb_13:15), and worship him in the beauty of holiness, in the holy places and in a holy manner, 1Ch_16:29. Holiness is the beauty of the Lord, the beauty of all sanctified souls and all religious performances. 8. Let God's universal monarchy be the fear and joy of all people. Let us reverence it: Fear before him, all the earth. And let us rejoice in it: Let the heavens be glad and rejoice, because the Lord reigns, and by his providence establishes the world, so that, though it be moved, it cannot be removed, nor the measures broken which Infinite Wisdom has taken in the government of it, 1Ch_16:30, 1Ch_16:31. 9. Let the prospect of the judgment to come inspire us with an awful pleasure, Let earth and sea, fields and woods, though in the great day of the Lord they will all be consumed, yet rejoice that he will come, doth come, to judge the earth, 1Ch_16:32, 1Ch_16:33. 10. In the midst of our praises we must not forget to pray for the succour and relief of those saints and servants of God that are in distress (1Ch_16:35): Save us, gather us, deliver us from the heathen, those of us that are scattered and oppressed. When we are rejoicing in God's favours to us we must remember our afflicted brethren, and pray for their salvation and deliverance as our own. We are members one of another; and therefore when we mean, “Lord, save them,” it is not improper to say, “Lord, save us.” Lastly, Let us make God the Alpha and Omega of our praises. David begins with (1Ch_16:8), Give thanks to the Lord; he concludes (1Ch_16:36), Blessed be the Lord. And whereas in the place whence this doxology is taken (Psa_106:48) it is added, Let all the people say, Amen, Hallelujah, here we find they did according to that directory: All the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord. When the Levites had finished this psalm or prayer and praise, then, and not till then, the people that attended signified their consent and concurrence by saying, Amen, And so they praised the Lord, much affected no doubt with this newly instituted way of devotion, which had been hitherto used in the schools of the prophets only, 1Sa_10:5. And, if this way of praising God please the Lord better than an ox or a bullock that has horns and hoofs, the humble shall see it and be glad, Psa_69:31, Psa_69:32.

JAMISON, "1Ch_16:7-43. His psalm of thanksgiving.27

Then on that day David delivered first this psalm — Among the other preparations for this solemn inauguration, the royal bard had composed a special hymn for the occasion. Doubtless it had been previously in the hands of Asaph and his assistants, but it was now publicly committed to them as they entered for the first time on the performance of their sacred duties. It occupies the greater part of this chapter (1Ch_16:8-36), and seems to have been compiled from other psalms of David, previously known to the Israelites, as the whole of it will be found, with very slight variations, in Psa_96:1-13; Psa_105:1-15; Psa_106:47, Psa_106:48. In the form, however, in which it is given by the sacred historian, it seems to have been the first psalm given for use in the tabernacle service. Abounding, as it does, with the liveliest ascriptions of praise to God for the revelation of His glorious character and the display of His marvelous works and containing, as it does, so many pointed allusions to the origin, privileges, and peculiar destiny of the chosen people, it was admirably calculated to animate the devotions and call forth the gratitude of the assembled multitude.

K&D, "On that day David first committed it to Asaph and his sons to give thanks to Jahve. נתן is to be connected with ביד, which is separated from it by several words, and denotes to hand over to, here to commit to, to enjoin upon, since that which David committed to Asaph was the carrying out of a business which he enjoined, not an object which may be given into the hand. ההוא ם בי is accented by בראש .אז, “at the beginning,” “at first,” to bring out the fact that liturgical singing was then first introduced. אחיו, the brethren of Asaph, are the Levites appointed to the same duty, whose names are given in 1Ch_16:5, 1Ch_16:6. But in order to give a more exact description of the ליהוה ת ד ה committed to Asaph in vv. 8-36, a song of thanks and praise is given, which the Levites were to sing as part of the service with instrumental accompaniment. It is not expressly said that this song was composed by David for this purpose; but if Asaph with his singers was to perform the service committed to him, he must have been provided with the songs of praise (psalms) which were necessary for this purpose; and if David were in any way the founder of the liturgical psalmody, he, as a richly endowed psalm-singer, would doubtless compose the necessary liturgical psalms. These considerations render it very probable that the following psalm was a hymn composed by David for the liturgical song in the public worship. The psalm is as follows: -

8 Give thanks unto Jahve; preach His name;Make known His deeds among the peoples: 9 Sing to Him, play to Him;Meditate upon all His wondrous works.10 Glory ye in His holy name:Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.11 Seek ye the Lord, and His strength;Seek His face continually.12 Remember His wonders which He has done;His wondrous works, and the judgments of His mouth;13 O seed of Israel, His servants,Sons of Jacob, His chosen.28

14 He, Jahve, is our God;His judgments go forth over all the earth.15 Remember eternally His covenant,The word which He commanded to a thousand generations:16 Which He made with Abraham,And His oath to Isaac;17 And caused it to stand to Jacob for a law,To Israel as an everlasting covenant;18 Saying, “To thee I give the land Canaan,As the heritage meted out to you.”19 When ye were still a people to be numbered,Very few, and strangers therein,20 And they wandered from nation to nation,From one kingdom to another people,21 He suffered no man to oppress them,And reproved kings for their sake:22 “Touch not mine anointed ones,And do my prophets no harm.”23 Sing unto Jahve, all the lands;Show forth from day to day His salvation.24 Declare His glory among the heathen,Among all people His wondrous works.25 For great is Jahve, and greatly to be praised;And to be feared is He above all the gods.26 For all the gods of the people are idols;And Jahve has made the heavens.27 Majesty and splendour is before Him;Strength and joy are in His place.28 Give unto Jahve, ye kindreds of the people,Give unto Jahve glory and strength.29 Give unto Jahve the honour of His name:Bring an offering, and come before His presence;Worship the Lord in the holy ornaments.30 Tremble before Him, all the lands;Then will the earth stand fast unshaking.31 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice;And they will say among the heathen, Jahve is King.32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;Let the field exult, and all that is thereon.33 Then shall the trees of the wood rejoiceBefore the Lord; for He comes to judge the earth.34 Give thanks unto Jahve, for He is good;For His mercy endureth for ever.35 And say, “Save us, God of our salvation:”And gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen,To give thanks to Thy holy name,To glory in Thy praise.36 Blessed be Jahve, the God of Israel,From everlasting to everlasting.29

And all the people said Amen, and praised Jahve.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:7. Then David delivered first this psalm, &c. — Or, as Houbigant renders it, On that same day David delivered this psalm, that Asaph and his brethren might praise the Lord by it — That is, on the day in which David appointed the Levites to sing before God, he gave them the song or hymn which follows. There is, however, nothing in the Hebrew for psalm. And the translation of the LXX. is perfectly accurate, save that they have rendered נתן, he gave, by εταξε, he appointed. It is, Then, in that day David appointed at first ( εν αρχη, in the beginning) to praise the Lord, by the hand of Asaph and his brethren. The Hebrew expression, בראש, barosh, at first, or in the beginning, seems to imply that David, after this, delivered many other psalms successively into their hands to be sung by them to the praise of God in his public service: see 2 Samuel 23:1 ; 2 Chronicles 29:30. The reader will find some explanatory observations on the following verses, Psalms 96. and 105., in which they occur with little or no variation, all but the three last verses of the Psalm.

WHEDON, "7. On that day David delivered first this psalm — This statement seems clearly to settle the question of the origin of the psalm that follows. A number of critics, in spite of this statement of the chronicler, maintain that the psalm was compiled from extracts of psalms already existing and familiar to the Israelites. 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 are found again in Psalms 105:1-15; 1 Chronicles 16:23-33 are nearly the same as Psalm cxvi; and 1 Chronicles 16:34-36 agree with Psalms 106:1; Psalms 106:47-48. A number of expressions in this book are more archaic than are the corresponding ones in the psalms named; and while some differences may seem to bespeak a greater antiquity for the psalms, they are more than counterbalanced by the above positive assertion of the chronicler. We therefore, with Keil, regard this psalm, as it stands in this book, as the original poem, from which the parts of the several psalms above mentioned were subsequently derived. Our common English version is so faithful to the Hebrew text as to call for no revision in these notes, and textual comment will be found at the corresponding passages in the notes on the psalms.

COFFMAN, "We have, in this one verse, returned to the rendition in the Authorized Version, as that version seems better to convey the real meaning.

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Barker gave the meaning of this verse as follows:

"On that day did David first commit to the hand of Asaph and his brethren to render praises to Jehovah; after the following manner and words. The word first marks the solemn establishment of set public worship in the metropolis."[2]

Payne agreed with this meaning, rendering the first clause here, "David delivered first this Psalm."[3] He added that, "The following model song (psalm) that David provided them consists, with slight modifications, of Psalms 105:1-15; Psalms 96, and Psalms 106:1,47,48. All three Psalms are listed anonymously in the Psalter, but upon the basis of David's use of them here, it would appear that David was indeed the author of all three."[4]

COKE, "1 Chronicles 16:7. Then—David delivered first this psalm, &c.— On that same day David delivered this psalm, that Asaph and his brethren might praise the Lord by it. Houbigant. See the 96th and 105th Psalms.

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:7 Then on that day David delivered first [this psalm] to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.Ver. 7. David delivered.] David, "the sweet psalmist of Israel." [2 Samuel 23:1]

ELLICOTT, " (7-36) An ode of thanksgiving appropriate to the occasion.(7) Then on that day David delivered first this psalm.—Rather, On that day then (viz., after the Ark had been placed in its tent, and the minstrels appointed) David originally committed the giving of thanks to Jehovah into the hands of Asaph and his brethren. Thus understood, the verse merely asserts that this was the occasion when “Asaph and his brethren” were first charged with the duties described in 1 Chronicles 16:4-6. But the words seem really intended to introduce the long ode which follows, and therefore we should perhaps render, “On that day, then David gave for the first time into the hands of Asaph and his brethren, for giving thanks to

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Jehovah, Give thanks unto the Lord,’” &c., the whole psalm being regarded as the object of the verb. It may be that this composite hymn was sung in the time of the compiler, on the anniversary of the removal of the Ark, which may in after-times have been commemorated by a special service. Hence it was easy to infer that it was the ode sung at the original service under David. The words “then” (’âz) and “on that day” certainly seem to introduce the psalm. (Comp, their use, Exodus 15:1, and Judges 5:1. Comp. also 2 Chronicles 7:6.)But the ambiguity of 1 Chronicles 16:7 may be taken along with other considerations to indicate that this ode does not constitute an original part of the Chronicles, but has been inserted by a later hand. For (1) the Psalm is clearly a cento consisting of portions of three others extant in the Psalter, and so loosely patched together that the seams are quite visible; (2) the Psalter itself does not refer the three psalms in question to David; if, however, the editors of the Psalter had read in the Chronicles a clear assertion of Davidic authorship, they would hardly have left them anonymous; (3) all critics agree that it is not here expressly said that David composed this ode, and, in fact, its ideas and language betray a later origin than the Davidic age; and (4) it contains no specific allusion to the occasion for which it purports to have been written. If no record was preserved of the psalms actually sung at the festival, it was natural that some editor should attempt to supply the apparent lacuna from the Psalter.

PULPIT, "The rendering should run, On that day did David first commit to the hand of Asaph and his brethren to render praises to Jehovah; i.e. after the following manner and words. The word first marks the solemn establishment of set public worship in the metropolis.

SIMEON, "Verses 7-15

DAVID’S THANKSGIVING AT THE CARRYING UP OF THE ARK

1 Chronicles 16:7-15. Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of

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them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant.

IF any one entertain a doubt whether “the ways of religion be ways of pleasantness and peace,” he needs only look to the history before us, and his doubts will vanish in an instant. It may be thought indeed, that, because the former attempt of David to carry up the ark was attended with sorrow, the general effect of God’s service is not such as has been represented: but it must be remembered, that, on that occasion, though David meant well, he was criminally negligent respecting the mode of carrying his purposes into effect; and that God on that account had frowned upon him [Note: 1 Chronicles 14:10-11. with 15:13.]. But when he was duly observant of God’s commands respecting the ark, his soul was filled with unutterable joy, to which he gave vent in the Psalm before us.

This Psalm is taken out of several others. As far as the 21st verse, it occurs in the 105th Psalm; the greater part of the remainder is found in the 96th. It was given by David for the use of the Church, on occasion of carrying up the ark to Jerusalem. In the part which we have just read, we behold religion in its full exercise: we see exhibited in the brightest colours,

I. The general frame of mind that it requires—

We have not now to speak of moral actions, but rather of spiritual affections. We are to contemplate the Christian now in the dispositions of his mind and the exercises of his soul towards God. And here we observe,

1. That God should be the supreme object of his regard—

[The worldly man rises no higher than the world: “he minds” and savours nothing 33

but what is earthly and carnal [Note: Romans 8:5. Philippians 3:18-19.]. But the spiritual man “minds the things of the Spirit,” and endeavours to set God, as it were, always before him. In the Psalm before us, there was evidently but one object in David’s mind. The world, and all that is in it, was forgotten; and God was “all in all.” Mark every sentence, or member of a sentence; and this will instantly appear. And should not this be the general frame and habit of our minds? Undoubtedly it should. We need not indeed be always occupied in religious exercises; for there are many other duties to be performed: but we should never for a moment lose the habit of holy and heavenly affections: a sense of God’s unbounded love and mercy should be wrought, as it were, into the very constitution and frame of our minds, so that we should no more cease to feel a supreme regard for him, than a worldly man does for the things of this world. In a word, his perfections, his word, and his works, should be ever so present to our mind, as it was to David on this occasion, or to Adam in paradise — — —]

This, whatever it may be called by ungodly men, is truly rational religion—

[A supreme delight in God is by many deemed enthusiasm: and the religion that consists in speculation, and theory, and form, is supposed to be exclusively entitled to the appellation of rational. But, if God be so infinitely glorious, that even angels themselves are in comparison of him no more than a glow-worm to the sun, he ought to be proportionably elevated in our hearts: and if the wonders he has wrought for us are beyond the powers of language to express, or of imagination to conceive, we should shew our sense of them by thinking of them, and speaking of them, and living continually under a sense of our obligations to him on account of them. Were the Jews required to testify their gratitude in this manner for the mercies vouchsafed to them? How much more should we labour to express our gratitude for that infinitely greater work of redemption which he has wrought out for us by the blood of his only dear Son!

Again; if Christ our Saviour be now in heaven, should not our affections be there [Note: Colossians 3:1-4.]; and “our conversation be there” also [Note: Philippians 3:20.]? I say, that, provided we be not led to neglect our worldly duties, (which are in no respect incompatible with heavenly affections,) it is not possible to have our minds too much filled with love to God: on the contrary, the total surrender of all

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our faculties and powers to him is a “reasonable service [Note: Romans 12:1.].”]

But we shall see yet more clearly the excellency of religion, if we consider,

II. The particular duties it enjoins—

St. Paul gives us a short summary of duties, very similar to those that are enjoined in the text: “Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you [Note: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.].” Thus David exhorts us,

1. To thank the Lord for all his past mercies—

[Were this exhortation addressed to the most miserable and the most abandoned of the human race, it would be highly reasonable, since the long-suffering which God has exercised towards him is itself a great salvation [Note: 2 Peter 3:15.]. But it is addressed to “the children of Israel,” even “the chosen ones” of the Lord: and who can ever find cause for praise, if they do not? If they fill not the air with their hosannahs, the very “stones will cry out against them.” Do but reflect on your unnumbered mercies, especially the gift of God’s only dear Son for you, and the gift of salvation by him to you. Surely you should sing to him, yea, be singing his praises from day to day: you should be already anticipating the employment of heaven, and be singing day and night, “Salvation to God and to the Lamb for ever and ever.”]

2. To pray to him for future blessings—

[The ark, as being the symbol of the Deity, was that before which the prayers of the high-priest were to be made, and from whence Jehovah was pleased to communicate his answers. Hence, in our text it is called “his strength.” This ark was a type of Christ, “in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” and who is the fountain from whence all spiritual blessings must flow [Note: John 1:16; John

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14:13-14. with Ephesians 1:22-23.]. To him therefore the Psalmist points, when he says, “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” There is not any occasion whereon it is not our duty and our privilege to seek him. Nothing should be regarded as too small, nothing too great, to ask at his hands. The command is, “In every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” And the promise for our encouragement is, “Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” O that we could go thus to God “continually,” as children to their parent! Surely, however “wide we opened our mouths, he would fill them.”]

3. To glory in him as our God and portion—

[In our text, David observes, “He is the Lord our God:” and elsewhere he says, “O Lord, thou art my God.” This it is which elevates the soul to the highest state of bliss that it can enjoy on earth. The man of this world glories not in wealth, or honour, unless he can call them his. It is the property which we have in them that produces the feelings of joyous exultation. We should therefore strive to the uttermost to ascertain this point, that we are interested in the Saviour, and are authorized on good grounds to say, “My Beloved is mine, and I am his.” As for all other objects of glorying, we should renounce them all, as incompatible with the Saviour’s honour; and should determinately say with the Apostle, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”]

4. To be always mindful of his covenant—

[The covenant here spoken of, is the covenant made with Abraham, and confirmed with an oath unto Isaac [Note: ver. 16–18.]. In its literal sense it refers to the land of Canaan as the inheritance of Abraham’s descendants: but in its mystical import it refers to all the spiritual seed of Abraham, who are made partakers of an infinitely nobler inheritance in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed the other was a mere shadow: and this is the substance. This was the covenant made with Christ before the foundation of the world [Note: Galatians 3:17 an Hebrews 6:13-14; Hebrews 6:17-18. 2 Timothy 1:2.]; “a covenant ordered in all things and sure,” an everlasting covenant that shall never be annulled. This covenant should be for ever

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in our minds: we should regard it as the one source of all the blessings we enjoy, and our great security for the continuance of them. This it is that will keep the mind firm and stable amidst all the difficulties and temptations that we have to encounter; since the execution and fulfilment of all its provisions depends on the faithfulness of an unchanging God [Note: Jeremiah 32:40. Malachi 3:6.]. We should therefore contemplate this covenant, and trust in it, and plead it before God, and rejoice in an assured hope, that we shall in due time inherit the Kingdom provided for us “before the foundation of the world [Note: In treating this subject, care should be taken, as much as possible, to preserve the life and spirit of the text.].”]

To improve this subject, we will add a few words,

1. Of reproof—

[How little is there of such religion as this in the midst of us! The generality know nothing of it by actual experience — — — and many, of whom we may hope that they are “God’s chosen ones,” scarcely ever rise higher than to a state of mourning for their sins, and of trust in God for his mercy. They are occupied so much about themselves, as almost to forget their God: that is, they do not contemplate as they ought, his unbounded excellencies, or delight themselves in him as their God and portion. O let not any of you rest in a state so unprofitable, and destitute of comfort as this! but seek to attain the full enjoyment of God in this world, as the best preparation for enjoying him in the world to come.]

2. Of encouragement—

[That which in our text is an exhortation, “Be mindful always of his covenant,” is, in the Psalm from whence it is taken, a declaration respecting God, that “He hath remembered his covenant for ever [Note: Psalms 105:8.].” Yes; he has remembered it, and ever will remember it; nor will he ever suffer one jot or tittle of it to fail. In that covenant he has made ample provision for all our necessities: so that, if we are ready to despond, (as if this elevated state of mind could never be attained, nor these duties ever be performed,) we need only look to that covenant, and all our fears will

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be dispelled. It is, as has been before observed, “ordered in all things, and sure;” and therefore the weakest shall have grace sufficient for him, and the most timid find security in the arms of an unchanging God.]

BI 7-22, "Then on that day David delivered first this psalm.A psalm of thanksgivingThis, a composite psalm, represents a form of service rather than a psalm. The whole of it, with slight variations, found in Psa_96:1-13; Psa_105:1-15; Psa_106:47-48. It celebrates redemption as unfolded in the history of Israel, proclaimed to the world, and triumphant in judgment. This part sets forth.I. An exhortation to the noblest work—praising God. In three ways, chiefly, is this duty recommended.

1. In giving thanks to God.(1) By singing psalms (verse 9).(2) By social conversation.(3) By glorying in His name (verse 10).

2. In seeking God.(1) Earnestly.(2) Joyfully.(3) Continually.

3. In commemorating God’s works (verse 12).II. Motives to influence us in this noblest work.

1. God’s great love.2. God’s great manifestations of love.3. God’s great dominion.4. God’s great claims.5. God’s vindication of these claims. (J. Wolfendale.)

A memorable dayLet us gather up a few of the lessons which Providence read out to humanity on that day.I. That religion is a subject in which the leaders of the people should endeavour to interest the masses.

1. Religion is suited to the common and primary instincts of human nature.2. Religion provides for the fallen condition of human nature.

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II. That religion develops the distinctive characteristics of mankind. Through it “the thoughts of many hearts are revealed.” In the history of this “day” four states of mind are developed in relation to the Divine.1. An enthusiastic interest in the Divine. Such was David’s state.2. A stolid unconsciousness of the Divine. This was revealed in Uzzah’s conduct. To him the ark only appeared as a common chest. He was a type of those who engage in religious services without the religious spirit.3. A calm confidence in the Divine. This was revealed in the conduct of Obed-edom. The terrible fate of Uzzah filled David with overwhelming excitement. The people were panic-stricken. But Obed-edom was calm. He took the ark into his own house for three months; he stands by a deserted cause.4. A thoughtless contempt for the Divine. This was developed in Michal (1Ch_15:29). She is a type of a class who despise religious observances, religious people, and religious services.

III. That religion is always associated with the cheerful and the generous.1. Here is music.2. Here is hospitality. True religion is evermore the parent of true philanthropy.

IV. That religion is the patron of the highest art as well as the inspirer of the holiest feelings (1Ch_15:16-24). (Homilist.)

1 Chronicles 16:9Sing psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His wondrous works.Good conversationI. The subject here suggested for our commonplace talk: “his wondrous works.” We ought to talk more about God’s wondrous works.

1. As we find them in Holy Scripture.2. As we find them in the history of our own country.3. As we find them in our own individual history.

II. The excellency of this subject is both negative and positive.1. Negative. Were we to talk more of God’s wondrous works—

(1) We should talk less about our own works.(2) We should be free from talking of other people’s works.(3) It would keep us from the ordinary frivolities of conversation.

2. Positive. The habit once acquired of talking more of God’s wondrous works—(1) Would necessitate stricter habits of observation and of discrimination in watching the providence of God;

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(2) would be very ennobling;(3) would cause our gratitude to glow and would give an impulse to our entire life.

III. Let me urge this taking ordinarily and commonly about God’s wondrous works. Not only will it prevent much evil and do us much good, but it will be the means of doing much good to others. It will—1. Impress the sinner.2. Enlighten the ignorant.

3. Comfort the desponding. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

GUZIK, "B. David’s song of thanksgiving.

1. (1 Chronicles 16:7) The psalm written for the special occasion.

On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the LORD:

a. David first delivered this psalm: David was known as sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Samuel 23:1), and he specially wrote the following psalm to thank the LORD on the day the ark of the covenant was brough to Jerusalem.

i. “The Psalm is found in the Book of Psalms; its first movement (8-22) in Psalms 105:1-15; its second movement (23-33) in Psalms 96:1-13; its third movement (34-36) consisting of a quotation of the opening and closing sentences of Psalms 106:47-48.” (Morgan)

ii. “All three of the canonical psalms that he quoted are anonymous, ‘orphan psalms’ (without title) in the Old Testament Psalter; but on the basis of the king’s use of them here, they should indeed be classed as his.” (Payne)

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

BARNES, "1Ch_16:8The Psalm here put before us by the Chronicler, as sung liturgically by Asaph and his brethren on the day of the ark’s entrance into Jerusalem, accords closely with the passages in the present Book of Psalms noted in the marg reff.It is, apparently, a thanksgiving service composed for the occasion out of Psalms previously existing.

K&D 8-36, "This hymn forms a connected and uniform whole. Beginning with a summons to praise the Lord, and to seek His face (1Ch_16:8-11), the singer exhorts his people to remember the wondrous works of the Lord (1Ch_16:12-14), and the covenant which He made with the patriarchs to give them the land of Canaan (1Ch_16:15-18), and confirms his exhortation by pointing out how the Lord, in fulfilment of His promise, had mightily and gloriously defended the patriarchs (1Ch_16:19-22). But all the world also are to praise Him as the only true and almighty God (1Ch_16:23-27), and all peoples do homage to Him with sacrificial gifts (1Ch_16:28-30); and that His kingdom may be acknowledged among the heathen, even inanimate nature will rejoice at His coming to judgment (1Ch_16:31-33). In conclusion, we have again the summons to thankfulness,combined with a prayer that God would further vouchsafe salvation; and a doxology rounds off the whole (1Ch_16:34-36). When we consider the contents of the whole hymn, it is manifest that it contains nothing which would be at all inconsistent with the belief that it was composed by David for the above-mentioned religious service. There is nowhere any reference to the condition of the people in exile, nor yet to the circumstances after the exile. The subject of the praise to which Israel is summoned is the covenant which God made with Abraham, and the wonderful way in which the patriarchs were led. The summons to the heathen to acknowledge Jahve as alone God and King of the world, and to come before His presence with sacrificial offerings, together with the thought that Jahve will come to judge the earth, belong to the Messianic hopes. These had formed themselves upon the foundation of the promises given to the patriarchs, and the view they had of Jahve as Judge of the heathen, when He led His people out of Egypt,so early, that even in the song of Moses at the Red Sea (Ex. 15), and the song of the pious Hannah (1Sa_2:1-10), we meet with the first germs of them; and what we find in David and the prophets after him are only further development of these.

Yet all the later commentators, with the exception of Hitzig, die Psalmen, ii. S. ix.f., judge otherwise as to the origin of this festal hymn. Because the first half of it (1Ch_16:8-22) recurs in Psa_105:1-15, the second (1Ch_16:23-33) in Psa_96:1-13, and the 41

conclusion (1Ch_16:34-36) in Ps.Psa_106:1, Psa_106:47-48, it is concluded that the author of the Chronicle compounded the hymn from these three psalms, in order to reproduce the festive songs which were heard after the ark had been brought in, in the same free way in which the speeches in Thucydides and Livy reproduce what was spoken at various times. Besides the later commentators, Aug. Koehler (in the Luth. Ztschr.1867, S. 289ff.) and C. Ehrt (Abfassungszeit und Abschluss des Psalters, Leipz. 1869, S. 41ff.) are of the same opinion. The possibility that our hymn may have arisen in this way cannot be denied; for such a supposition would be in so far consistent with the character of the Chronicle, as we find in it speeches which have not been reported verbatim by the hearers, but are given in substance or in freer outline by the author of our Chronicle, or, as is more probable, by the author of the original documents made use of by the chronicler. But this view can only be shown to be correct if it corresponds to the relation in which our hymn may be ascertained to stand to the three psalms just mentioned. Besides the face that its different sections are again met with scattered about in different psalms, the grounds for supposing that our hymn is not an original poem are mainly the want of connection in the transition from 1Ch_16:22 to v.23, and from 1Ch_16:33 to v.34; the fact that in v.35 we have a verse referring to the Babylonian exile borrowed from Ps 106; and that 1Ch_16:36 is even the doxology of the fourth book of Psalms, taken to be a component part of the psalm. These two latter grounds would be decisive, if the facts on which they rest were well authenticated. If. 1Ch_16:36 really contained only the doxology of the fourth book of Psalms-which, like the doxologies of the first, second, and third books (Ps. 41:14; Psa_72:18-19, and 89:53), was merely formally connected with the psalm, without being a component part of it-there could be no doubt that the author of the Chronicle had taken the conclusion of his hymn from our collection of psalms, as these doxologies only date from the originators of our collection. But this is not the state of the case. Psa_106:48 does, it is true, occupy in our Psalter the place of the doxology to the fourth book, but belonged, as Bertheau also acknowledges, originally to the psalm itself. For not only is it different in form from the doxologies of the first three books, not having the double ואמן אמן with which these books close, but it concludes with the simple הללו־יה ואמן If the .אמן אמן connected by ו is, in the Old Testament language, exclusively confined to these doxologies, which thus approach the language of the liturgical Beracha of the second temple, as Del. Ps. p. 15 rightly remarks, while in Num_5:22 and Neh_8:6 only אמן אמן without copulative w occurs, it is just this peculiarity of the liturgical Beracha which is wanting, both in the concluding verse of the 106th Psalm and in 1Ch_16:36 of our festal hymn. Moreover, the remainder of the verse in question - the last clause of it, “And let all the people say Amen, Halleluiah,” - does not suit the hypothesis that the verse is the doxology appended to the conclusion of the fourth book by the collector of the Psalms, since, as Hengstenberg in his commentary on the psalm rightly remarks, “it is inconceivable that the people should join in that which, as mere closing doxology of a book, would have no religious character;” and “the praise in the conclusion of the psalm beautifully coincides with its commencement, and the Halleluiah of the end is shown to be an original part of the psalm by its correspondence with the beginning.”

(Note: Bertheau also rightly says: “If in Ps 72 (as also in Ps 89 and 91) the author of the doxology himself says Amen, while in Psa_106:48 the saying of the Amen is committed to the people, this difference can only arise from the face that Ps 106 originally concluded with the exhortation to say Amen.” Hitzig speaks with still more decision, die Pss. (1865), ii. S. x.: “If (in Ps 106) Psa_106:47 is the conclusion, a 42

proper ending is wanting; while Psa_106:48, on the contrary, places the psalm on a level with Ps 103-105; 107. Who can believe that the author himself, for the purpose of ending the fourth book with Psa_106:48, caused the psalm to extend to the Psa_106:48? In the Chronicle, the people whom the verse mentions are present from 1 Chron 15:3-16:2, while in the psalm no one can see how they should come in there. Whether the verse belong to the psalm or not, the turning to all the people, and the causing the people to say Amen, Amen, instead of the writer, has no parallel in the Psalms, and is explicable only on the supposition that it comes from the Chronicle. Afterwards a Diaskeuast might be satisfied to take the verse as the boundary-stone of a book.”)The last verse of our hymn does not therefore presuppose the existence of the collection of psalms, nor in 1Ch_16:35 is there any indubitable reference to the exilic time. The words, “Say, 'Save us, Thou God of our salvation; gather us together, and deliver us from among the heathen,' “ do not presuppose that the people had been previously led away into the Chaldean exile, but only the dispersion of prisoners of war, led away captive into an enemy's land after a defeat. This usually occurred after each defeat of Israel by their enemies, and it was just such cases Solomon had in view in his prayer, 1Ki_8:46-50.The decision as to the origin of this festal hymn, therefore, depends upon its internal characteristics, and the result of a comparison of the respective texts. The song in itself forms, as Hitz. l.c. S. 19 rightly judges, “a thoroughly coherent and organic whole. The worshippers of Jahve are to sing His praise in memory of His covenant which He made with their fathers, and because of which He protected them (1Ch_16:18-22). But all the world also are to praise Him, the only true God (1Ch_16:23-27); the peoples are to come before Him with gifts; yea, even inanimate nature is to pay the King and Judge its homage (1Ch_16:28-33). Israel - and with this the end returns to the beginning-is to thank Jahve, and invoke His help against the heathen (1Ch_16:34 and 1Ch_16:35).” This exposition of the symmetrical disposition of the psalm is not rendered questionable by the objections raised by Koehler, l.c.; nor can the recurrence of the individual parts of it in three different psalms of itself at all prove that in the Chronicle we have not the original form of the hymn. “There is nothing to hinder us from supposing that the author of Psa_96:1-13 may be the same as the author of Ps 105 and 106; but even another might be induced by example to appropriate the first half of 1Ch_16:8., as his predecessor had appropriated the second, and it would naturally occur to him to supply from his own resources the continuation which had been already taken away and made use of” (Hitz. l.c.). A similar phenomenon is the recurrence of the second half of Psa_40:17. as an independent psalm, Psa_70:1-5. “But it is also readily seen,”continues Hitzig, “how easily the psalmist might separate the last three verses from each other (1Ch_16:34-36 of the Chronicle), and set them as a frame round Ps 106. 1Ch_16:34 is not less suitable in the Chronicle for the commencement of a paragraph than in Ps 107, which Psa_107:6 would admit of no continuation, but was the proper end. On the other hand, we can scarcely believe that the chronicler compiled his song first from Ps 105, then from Psa_96:1-13, and lastly from Ps 106, striking off from this latter only the beginning and the end.”Finally, if we compare the text of our hymn with the text of these psalms, the divergences are of such a sort that we cannot decide with certainty which of the two texts

is the original. To pass over such critically indifferent variations as 1 ,פיהוCh_16:12, for .Psa_105:5; the omission of the nota acc ,פיו ,1Ch_16:18, compared with Psa_105:10 ,את

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and vice versa in Psa_96:3 and 1Ch_16:24; היער היער 1Ch_16:33, instead of ,עצי כל־- ,Psa_96:12 ,עצי the chronicler has in 1 ,יצחקCh_16:16, instead of ישחק, Psa_105:9, and ץ ז 1Ch_16:32, instead of ,יע ;Psa_96:12, the earlier and more primitive form ,יעin תרעו אל תרעו 1Ch_16:22, instead of ,בנביאי אל Psa_105:15, a quite unusual ,לנביאיconstruction; and in ם י אל ם 1Ch_16:23, the older form (cf. Num_30:15), instead of ,מים לי ם Psa_96:2, as in Est_3:7; while, on the other hand, instead of the unexampled ,מיphrase לעשקם אדם Psa_105:14, there stands in the Chronicle the usual phrase ,הניח לאיש שדי and ,הניח dna , in Psa_96:12 is the poetical form for the השדה of 1Ch_16:32. More important are the wider divergences: not so much ישראל 1Ch_16:13, for ,זרעאברהם עבד Psa_105:6, in which latter case it is doubtful whether the ,זרע refers to the patriarchs or to the people, and consequently, as the parallelismus membrorumdemands the latter references, ישראל is clearly the more correct and intelligible; but rather than the others, viz., 1 ,זכרוCh_16:15, for זכר, Psa_105:8; since זכרו not only corresponds to the זכרו of 1Ch_16:11, but alto to the use made of the song for the purposes stated in the Chronicle; while, on the contrary, זכר of the psalm corresponds to the object of the psalm, viz., to exalt the covenant grace shown to the patriarchs. Connected with this also is the reading תכם _when ye (sons of Jacob) were” (1Ch“ ,בהי16:19), instead of תם Psa_105:12, “when they (the patriarchs) were,” since the ,בהיnarrative of what the Lord had done demanded בהיותם. Now the more likely the reference of the words to the patriarchs was to suggest itself, the more unlikely is the hypothesis of an alteration into תכם and the text of the Chronicle being the more ;בהיdifficult, is consequently to be regarded as the earlier. Moreover, the divergences of 1Ch_16:23 to 33 of our hymn from Psa_96:1-13 are such as would result from its having been prepared for the above-mentioned solemn festival. The omission of the two strophes, “Sing unto Jahve a new song, sing unto Jahve, bless His name” (Psa_96:1 and Psa_96:2), in 1Ch_16:23 of the Chronicle might be accounted for by regarding that part of our hymn as an abridgment by the chronicler of the original song, when connecting it with the preceding praise of God, were it certain on other grounds that Psa_96:1-13 was the original; but if the chronicler's hymn be the original, we may just as well believe that this section was amplified when it was made into an independent psalm. A comparison of 1Ch_16:33 (Chron.) with the end of the 96th Psalm favours this last hypothesis, for in the Chronicle the repetition of בא כי is wanting, as well as the second hemistich of Psa_96:13. The whole of the 13th verse recurs, with a single בא at the end of the 98th ,כיPsalm (Psa_98:9), and the thought is borrowed from the Davidic Psa_9:9. The strophes in the beginning of Psa_96:1-13, which are omitted from 1Ch_16:16, often recur. The phrase, “Sing unto Jahve a new song,” is met within Psa_33:3; Psa_98:1, and Psa_149:1, and חדש שיר in Psa_40:4, a Davidic psalm. את־שמ רכו ב is also met with in Psa_100:4; and still more frequently את־יהוה רכו in Psa_103:2, Psa_103:22; Psa_134:1, and ,בelsewhere, even as early as Deborah's song, Jdg_5:2, Jdg_5:9; while ליהוה שירו occurs in the song of Moses, Exo_15:1. Since, then, the strophes of the 96th Psalm are only reminiscences of, and phrases which we find in, the oldest religious songs of the Israelites, it is clear that Psa_96:1-13 is not an original poem. It is rather the re-grouping

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of the well-known and current thoughts; and the fact that it is so, favours the belief that all which this psalm contains at the beginning and end, which the Chronicle does not contain, is merely an addition made by the poet who transformed this part of the chronicler's hymn into an independent psalm for liturgical purposes. This purpose clearly appears in such variations as במקדש במקמ Psa_96:6, instead of ,ותפארתתיו 1Ch_16:27, and ,וחדוה לחצר לפניו Psa_96:8, instead of ,ובאו .1Ch_16:29 ,ובאוNeither the word מקדש nor the mention of “courts” is suitable in a hymn sung at the consecration of the holy tent in Zion, for at that time the old national sanctuary with the altar in the court (the tabernacle) still stood in Gibeon.

Here, therefore, the text of the Chronicle corresponds to the circumstances of David's time, while the mention of מקדש and of courts in the psalm presupposes the existence of the temple with its courts as the sanctuary of the people of Israel. Now a post-exilic poet would scarcely have paid so much attention to this delicate distinction between times and circumstances as to alter, in the already existing psalms, out of which he compounded this festal hymn, the expressions which were not suitable to the Davidic time. Against this, the use of the unusual word חדוה drow lau, joy, which occurs elsewhere only in Neh_10:8, Neh_10:10, and in Chaldee in Ezr_6:18, is no valid objection, for the use of the verb חדה as early as Exo_18:9 and Job_3:6 shows that the word does not belong to the later Hebrew. The discrepancy also between 1Ch_16:30 and 1Ch_16:31 and Psa_96:9-11, namely, the omission in the Chronicle of the strophe במישרים עמים ידין (Psa_96:10), and the placing of the clause מל יהוה ים ויאמרו _ בגafter הארץ ותגל (1Ch_16:31, cf. Psa_96:10), does not really prove anything as to the priority of Psa_96:1-13. Hitzig, indeed, thinks that since by the omission of the one member the parallelism of the verses is disturbed, and a triple verse appears where all the others are double merely, and because by this alteration the clause,”Say among the people, Jahve is King,” has come into an apparently unsuitable position, between an exhortation to the heaven and earth to rejoice, and the roaring of the sea and its fulness, this clause must have been unsuitably placed by a copyist's error. But the transposition cannot be so explained; for not only is that one member of the verse misplaced, but also the אמרו of the psalm is altered into ויאמרו, and moreover, we get no explanation of the omission of the strophe וגו ויאמרו If we consider .ידין (with ו consecutive), “then will they say,” we see clearly that it corresponds to וגו ירננו אז in 1Ch_16:33; and in 1Ch_16:30 the recognition of Jahve's kingship over the peoples is represented as the issue and effect of the joyful exultation of the heaven and earth, just as in 1Ch_16:32 and 1Ch_16:33 the joyful shouting of the trees of the field before Jahve as He comes to judge the earth, is regarded as the result of the roaring of the sea and the gladness of the fields. The אמרו of the psalm, on the other hand, the summons to the Israelites to proclaim that Jahve is King among the peoples, is, after the call, “Let the whole earth tremble before Him,” a somewhat tame expression; and after it, again, we should not expect the much stronger וגו ן תכ When we further consider that the clause which follows in .אףthe Chronicle, “He will judge the people in uprightness,” is a reminiscence of Psa_9:9, we must hold the text of the Chronicle to be here also the original, and the divergences in Psa_96:1-13 for alterations, which were occasioned by the changing of a part of our hymn into an independent psalm. Finally, there can be no doubt as to the priority of the chronicler's hymn in 1Ch_16:34-36. The author of the Chronicle did not require to

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borrow the liturgical formula וגו ב ט כי ליהוה דו ה from Psa_106:1, for it occurs in as complete a form in Psa_97:1; Psa_118:1, Psa_118:29; Psa_136:1, and, not to mention 2Ch_5:13; 2Ch_7:3; 2Ch_20:21, is a current phrase with Jeremiah (Jer_33:11), and is without doubt an ancient liturgical form. 1Ch_16:35 and 1Ch_16:36, too, contain such divergences from Psa_106:47 and Psa_106:48, that it is in the highest degree improbable that they were borrowed from that psalm. Not only is the prayer וגו שיענו הintroduced by אמרו, but also, instead of הינו א יהוה of the psalm, we have ישענו הי ;אand to והצילנו ,וקבצנו is added, - a change which causes the words to lose the reference to the Chaldean exile contained in the text of the Psalms. The post-exilic author of the Chronicle would scarcely have obliterated this reference, and certainly would not have done so in such a delicate fashion, had he taken the verse from Ps 106. A much more probable supposition is, that the post-exilic author of the 106th Psalm appropriated the concluding verse of David's to him well-known hymn, and modified it to make it fit into his poem. Indubitable instances of such alterations are to be found in the conclusion, where the statement of the chronicler, that all the people said Amen and praised Jahve, is made to conform to the psalm, beginning as it does with Halleluiah, by altering ויאמרוinto ואמר, “and let them say,” and of ליהוה והלל into ללו־יה .ה

On the whole, therefore, we must regard the opinion that David composed our psalm for the above-mentioned festival as by far the most probable. The psalm itself needs no further commentary; but compare Delitzsch on the parallel psalms and parts of psalms.

COFFMAN, "The Model Psalm Delivered by David to Asaph:

"O give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name;

Make known his doings among the peoples.

Sing unto him, sing praises unto him;

Talk ye of all his marvelous works.

Glory be in his holy name;

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Let the heart of them rejoice that seeketh Jehovah.

Seek ye Jehovah and his strength;

Seek his face evermore.

Remember his marvelous works that he hath done,

His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

O ye seed of Israel his servant,

Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

He is Jehovah our God;

His judgments are in all the earth.

Remember his covenant forever,

The word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

The covenant which he made with Abraham,

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And his oaths unto Isaac,

And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a statute,

To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

Saying, Unto thee I give the land of Canaan,

The lot of your inheritance;

When ye were but a few men in number,

Yea, very few, and sojourners in it:

And they went about from nation to nation,

And from one kingdom to another people.

He suffered no man to do them wrong;

Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,

Saying, Touch not mine anointed ones,

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And do my prophets no harm.

Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth;

Show forth his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

His marvelous works among all the peoples.

For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised:

He also is to be feared above all gods,

For all the gods of the peoples are idols:

But Jehovah made the heavens.

Honor and majesty are before him:

Strength and gladness are in his place.

Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye kindred of the peoples,

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Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength;

Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name:

Bring an offering, and come before him;

Worship Jehovah in holy array.

Tremble before him, all the earth:

The world also is established that it cannot be moved.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.

Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof;

Let the fields exult, and all that is therein;

Then let the trees of the wood sing for joy before Jehovah;

For he cometh to judge the earth.

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O give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation,

And gather us together and deliver us from the nations,

To give thanks unto thy holy name,

And to triumph in thy praise.

Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting.

And all the people said, Amen, and praised Jehovah."

1 Chronicles 16:8-22 corresponds almost exactly with Psalms 105:1-15; and our comments are found on pages 255-259 of my commentary on Psalms 2.

1 Chronicles 16:23-33 correspond almost exactly with Psalms 96 in its entirety. Our full comments on that Psalm are in Psalms 2. See pp. 193-200.

The concluding verses of the Model Psalm are found in Psalms 106:1,47 and 48. Our comments on Psalms 106 are found in my commentary on Psalms, Vol. 2, pp. 267-279.

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TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.Ver. 8. Call upon his name.] This psalm was sung in times of any great joy, as may be gathered from Isaiah 12:4.

ELLICOTT, " (8) Give thanks.—The same Hebrew verb as in 1 Chronicles 16:4, “to thank.” Psalms 105 is a tôdâh, or thanksgiving, hence its use here.Call upon his name.—Invoke His help, appealing to Him by His revealed name of Jehovah. (Comp. Psalms 3:1-7; Psalms 5:1; Psalms 7:6, and many others.)Make known.—Israel’s mission.Deeds.—Feats, exploits, deeds of wonder; a poetic word.People.—Peoples.Verses 8-22(8-22) The first four strophes of Psalms 105 (1 Chronicles 16:1-15.)

PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:8-36

These verses, then, provide the form of praise which David wished to be used on this, and probably in grateful repetition on some succeeding occasions. David makes selections from four psalms already known; for it cannot be supposed that the verses we have hero were the original, and that they were afterwards supplemented. The first fifteen verses (viz. 8-22) are from Psalms 105:1-15. The next eleven verses (23-33) are from Psalms 96:1-13; but a small portion of the first and last of these verses is omitted. Our thirty-fourth verso is identical with Psalm evil. 1; Psalms 118:1; Psalms 136:1; and forms the larger part of Psalms 106:1. It is, in fact, a doxology. And our thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth verses consist of a short responsive ("and say ye") invocation, followed by another doxology. These are taken from Psalms 106:47, Psalms 106:48. Hereupon "all the people" are directed to find the final outburst of praise to Jehovah, and "Amen." In the first of these selections (Psalms 106:8-23) there is no material variation from the language of the psalm itself. Yet the original psalm has Abraham, where our own thirteenth verse reads

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Israel. And the original psalm uses the third person, where our fifteenth and nineteenth verses have the second person. In the second selection it is worthy of note that our Psalms 106:29, "Come before him," probably preserves the ante-temple reading, while Psalms 96:8 was afterwards, to fit temple times, altered into, "Come into his courts." The arrangement of all the succeeding clauses does not exactly agree with the arrangement of them found in the psalm, as for instance in the latter half of our verse 30 and in verse 31, compared with the clauses of Psalms 96:10,Psalms 96:11 of the psalm. Again, one clause of the tenth verse of the psalm, "He shall judge the people righteously," is not found in either alternative position open to it through the inversion of clauses, in our verses 80, 81. The rhythm and metre of the psalm are, however, equally unexceptionable. The whole of the twenty-nine verses of this Psalm of praise (Psalms 96:8 -36 inclusive) are divided into portions of three verses each, except the portion verses 23-27 inclusive which consists of five verses. As regards the matter of it, it may be remarked on as breaking into two parts, in the first of which (Psalms 96:8 -22) the people are reminded of their past history anti of the marvellous providence which had governed their career from Abraham to the time they were settled in Canaan, but in the second (verses 23-36) their thought is enlarged, their sympathies immensely widened, so as to include all the world, and their view is borne on to the momentous reality of judgment.

GUZIK, "2. (1 Chronicles 16:8-13) The call to praise.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

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Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name;

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

Seek the LORD and His strength;

Seek His face evermore!

Remember His marvelous works which He has done,

His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,

O seed of Israel His servant,

You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

a. Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Like many psalms, this one begins with a call to praise, viritually in the form of a commandment. Yet the psalm breathes with too much excitement for this to be a true command; it is an exhortation to the community of God’s people to join in praise to their God.

i. “All the good that we enjoy comes from God. Recollect that! Alas, most men forget it. Rowland Hill used to say that worldlings were like the hogs under the oak, which eat the acorns, but never think of the oak from which they fell, nor lift up their heads to grunt out a thanksgiving. Yes, so it is. They munch the gift and murmur at

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the giver.” (Spurgeon)

b. Give thanks . . . call upon . . . make known . . . sing . . . talk . . . glory . . . seek . . . remember: In a few verses, David lists a remarkable number of ways (at least eight) one can praise and glorify God. Some of them speak directly to God (such as sing psalms to Him), some speak to others about God’s greatness (make know His deeds among the peoples), and some are a conversation with one’s self (remember His marvelous works).

i. Meyer on talk of all His wondrous works: “We do not talk sufficiently about God. Why it is so may not be easy to explain; but there seems to be too great reticence among Christian people about the best things. . . . We talk about sermons, details of worship and church organization, or the latest phase of Scripture criticism; we discuss men, methods, and churches; but our talk in the home, and in the gatherings of Christians for social purposes, is too seldom about the wonderful works of God. Better to speak less, and to talk more of Him.”

ii. “If we talked more of God’s wondrous works, we should be free from talking of other people’s works. It is easy to criticise those we could not rival, and carp at those we could not emulate. He who could not carve a statue, or make a single stroke of the chisel correctly, affects to point out where the handicraft of the greatest sculptor might have been improved. It is a poor, pitiful occupation, that of picking holes in other people’s coats, and yet some people seem so pleased when they can perceive a fault, that they roll it under their tongue as a sweet morsel.” (Spurgeon)

iii. “There is no gifted tongue requisite, there are no powers of eloquence invoked; neither laws of rhetoric nor rules of grammar are pronounced indispensable in the simple talk that my text inculcates, ‘Talk ye of all his wondrous works.’ I beg your pardon when you say you cannot do this. You cannot because you will not.” (Spurgeon)

c. O seed of Israel . . . His chosen ones: This call to praise is directed to the people of God. As will be noted later in the psalm, all creation has a responsibility to praise its

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Creator; but this is the special responsibility of God’s people.

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

TRAPP, "Verses 9-111 Chronicles 16:9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.Ver. 9-11], {See Trapp on "Psalms 105:1"} {See Trapp on "Psalms 105:2"} {See Trapp on "Psalms 105:3"} &c.

ELLICOTT, " (9) Sing psalms.—The word implies a musical accompaniment.Talk ye.—A third term for singing. Chant ye.His wondrous works.—His wonders, or miracles. The word means things separate, distinct, and so out of the common (Exodus 3:20).

MEYER, "Talk ye of all His wondrous works.

We do not talk sufficiently about God. Why it is so may not be easy to explain; but there seems a too great reticence among Christian people about the best things. In the days of Malachi, “they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard.” We talk about sermons, details of worship and church organization, or the latest phase of Scripture criticism; we discuss men, methods,

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and churches; but our talk in the home, and in the gatherings of Christians for social purposes, is too seldom about the wonderful works of God. Better to speak less, and to talk more of Him.

But probably the real cause of our, avoidance of this best of topics, is that our hearts are filled with so much which is not of God, and they speak out of their abundance. You may judge the contents of a shop by what is put in the windows, and you may judge of the inner life of too many Christians by the subjects which are most familiar to their lips. The heart does not seek for God and His strength, nor His face continually; and therefore we find it hard to talk of all His wondrous works.

But go back in thought to the day of Pentecost. One of the first signs of the descent of the blessed Spirit was that the crowd heard every man speaking in his own tongue the wonderful works of God. What God has done in the past, as recorded on the page of Scripture; what He is doing day by clay in the world around, and in our hearts; what He has promised to do on the horizon where heaven and earth shall blend in the Second Advent; yield fit themes on which His children may beamingly talk to each other, till He goes beside and talks with them till their hearts burn.

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

CLARKE, "That seek the Lord - “That seek the Word of the Lord.” - T.

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ELLICOTT, "(10) That seek the Lord.—Comp. 1 Chronicles 13:3; 1 Chronicles 15:13, where a synonymous term is used. Both occur in 1 Chronicles 16:11.

11 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.ELLICOTT, " (11) And his strength.—Comp. Exodus 15:2, Isaiah 26:4 : “Jah, Jehovah is a rock of ages” (Heb.).His face.—His presence, especially in the sanctuary. True devotion is the secret of moral strength.

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

ELLICOTT, " (12) The second strophe of Psalms 105Marvellous works.—Wonders, as in 1 Chronicles 16:9.His wonders.—His portents; τέρατα of the New Testament.

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The judgments of his mouth.—His judicial utterances, which execute themselves. (Comp. Genesis 1:3; Exodus 12:12.)Of his mouth.—Psalms 105:5 has a different form of the pronoun.

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

ELLICOTT, " (13) Seed of Israel.—Psalms 105:6 reads, “Abraham.” “Israel” improves the parallelism, and is probably a correction. Syriac and Arabic have “Abraham.”His servant.—LXX., “his servants.” (Comp. “servant of Jehovah” as a title of Israel in Isaiah.)

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

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PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:14-22These verses rehearse the ancient and blissful covenant which had made Israel so to differ. These are called mine anointed… my prophets, in harmony with what we read in the splendid passage, Exodus 19:3-6. The substitution in our Exodus 19:15, Exodus 19:19 of the second person pronoun plural, in place of the third person of the psalm, helps speak the reality of this occasion and its dramatic correctness. The literal original of our Authorized Version in Exodus 19:19, but few, even a few, is, men of number, i.e. men who could easily be numbered.

GUZIK, "3. (1 Chronicles 16:14-19) Remembering God’s covenant with His people.

He is the LORD our God;

His judgments are in all the earth.

Remember His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

The covenant which He made with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac,

And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,

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To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan

As the allotment of your inheritance,”

When you were few in number,

Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

a. His judgments are in all the earth: David will soon begin to sing about the special relationship between the LORD and His covenant people. Yet he prefaced those ideas with the thought that God is the Lord of all the earth. His authority is not limited to His covenant people.

b. Remember His covenant forever: God wanted His people to never forget the covenant He made with them. God’s dealing with man through history has been based on the idea of covenant.

· God made a covenant with Abraham regarding a land, a nation, and a particular messianic blessing (Genesis 12:1-3).

· God made a covenant with Israel as a nation, regarding a law, sacrifice, and choice of blessing or cursing (Exodus 19:5-8).

· God made a covenant with David regarding the specific lineage of the Messiah (2 Samuel 7).

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· God made a covenant with all who would believe on His Son, the New Covenant through Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20).

i. It was entirely appropriate that this psalm focuses on the idea of His covenant, because it was written for the arrival of the ark of the covenant into the place David prepared for it in Jerusalem.

ii. “In the restoration of the Ark after a period of neglect, the people found a sure token of that mercy.” (Morgan)

c. To you I will give the land of Canaan: David here highlighted the promise of land that God made to Abraham as part of His covenant with the patriarch (Genesis 12:1 and Genesis 13:14-17). The land belonged to the descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through this covenant.

i. In this we see that this portion of the psalm is largely meant for teaching. This stanza was not primarily intended as a declaration of praise to God, but as informing the worship of God’s people.

4. (1 Chronicles 16:20-22) God’s protection upon His people.

When they went from one nation to another,

And from one kingdom to another people,

He permitted no man to do them wrong;

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Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,

Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,

And do My prophets no harm.”

a. When they went from one nation to another: In the story of the arrival of the ark of the covenant recorded in 2 Samuel, this psalm of David is not included. Here we see why the Chronicler - writing shortly after the Babylonian exile - was anxious to include it. This line of David’s psalm praises God for His providential protection of His people when they were out of the Promised Land.

b. He permitted no man to do them wrong: One might say that this was inaccurate -after all, the oppressive Pharaohs seemed to do much wrong to Israel. Yet, in the longer view of seeing God’s good work even through such painful times, David can truthfully say “He permitted no man to do them wrong.”

c. Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm: This seems to refer to God’s people as a whole instead of particular anointed individuals or individual prophets.

5. (1 Chronicles 16:23-30) The command to praise the LORD.

Sing to the LORD, all the earth;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the nations,63

His wonders among all peoples.

For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;

He is also to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But the LORD made the heavens.

Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and gladness are in His place.

Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

Give to the LORD glory and strength.

Give to the LORD the glory due His name;

Bring an offering, and come before Him.

Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

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Tremble before Him, all the earth.

The world also is firmly established,

It shall not be moved.

a. Sing to the LORD, all the earth: God’s covenant people have a special responsibility to praise Him, but all the earth should also proclaim the good news of His salvation day to day.

i. It is only good news when it is His salvation. My salvation isn’t enough to save me. I need His salvation to save me. This is something worth proclaiming.

ii. “There is not one of us but has cause for song, and certainly not one saint but ought specially to praise the name of the Lord.” (Spurgeon)

b. Declare His glory among the nations: David is back to a particular address to the people of God, imploring them to tell everyone of the greatness of God, and His superiority above all gods.

i. The reason for His superiority is simple: all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. The covenant God of Israel is real and is the Creator of all things, in contrast to the mere statues of the nations.

c. Give to the LORD glory and strength: This is not in the sense of giving something to God that He does not already have. It is in the sense of crediting to God what He actually does possess, but what man is often blind to.

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d. Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! God’s holiness - His “set-apart-ness” - has a wonderful and distinct beauty about it. It is beautiful that God is God and not man; that He is more than the greatest man or a super-man. His holy love, grace, justice, and majesty are beautiful.

6. (1 Chronicles 16:31-33) Creation praises God.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;

And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”

Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;

Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.

Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the LORD,

For He is coming to judge the earth.

a. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: David knew that creation itself praised God. He knew that the beauty and power and skill and majesty of creation was itself a testimony of praise to its Creator.

b. Let them say among the nations: Israel had the word of God to tell them of God’s reign and His coming judgment. The nations have the testimony of creation to tell them what they should know about God (Romans 1:19-23).

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c. The LORD reigns: The creation itself tells us of a God of infinite wisdom, power, and order; it logically deduces that this God reigns and will judge the earth, understanding that His order and power and wisdom are expressed morally as well as materially.

i. Payne on for He is coming to judge the earth: “While earlier messianic prophecies had foretold our Lord’s universal, millennial reign (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17; 1 Samuel 2:10), these words - ‘he comes’ - may be the first in all of written Scripture (Job 19:25 may well have been spoken earlier) to set forth the doctrine of the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ.”

7. (1 Chronicles 16:34-36) Conclusion: Celebrating God’s faithfulness to His people.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation;

Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,

To give thanks to Your holy name,

To triumph in Your praise.”

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel

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From everlasting to everlasting!

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

a. Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles: This is yet another demonstration of why the Chronicler chose to include this psalm of David in the account of the ark’s coming into Jerusalem. These ancient words of David would have special relevance to the returned exiles. They would not only have confidence in God’s ability to gather and deliver, but they would also be motivated to give thanks and to triumph in Your praise.

i. “The words . . . do not presuppose that the people had been previously led away into the Chaldean exile, but only the dispersion of prisoners of war, led away captive into an enemy’s land after a defeat. . . . It was just such cases Solomon had in view in his prayer, 1 Kings 8:46-50.” (Payne citing Keil)

b. And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD: This reminds us that David’s psalm was not sung as a solo. The hearts - and perhaps the voices - of the people were in complete agreement with him through the psalm.

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

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ELLICOTT, " (15) Be ye mindful.—Psalms 105:8, third strophe, begins, “He hath remembered,” that is, “He will certainly remember” His ancient covenant; and the exile and oppression of His people can only be transitory (Comp. Psalms 111:5.) The expression is modified here, to suit different circumstances, and perhaps in view of 1 Chronicles 16:12.The word which he commanded to . . . Rather, the promise which he established for . . .

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

ELLICOTT, " (16) Even of the covenant.—These words should be cancelled. The object is still the word of promise.Which he made.—Literally, he cut. Same phrase as in Haggai 2:5.With Abraham.—Genesis 22:16.Unto Isaac.—Heb., Yiçhâq. Psalms 105:9 has the weaker form, Yishâq (Amos 7:9).

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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.”

ELLICOTT, " (18) The land of Canaan.—In the Hebrew the rhythm is marred here by omission of a particle (eth), found in Psalms 105:11.The lot.—Literally, as the measuring line (comp. Psalms 16:5), i.e., as your measured or apportioned domain.

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

ELLICOTT, " (19) The fourth strophe of Psalms 105 begins here.When ye were but few.—The psalm has “when they [that is, your fathers] were but few; “and so LXX. here.

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Few.—Literally, men of number = easily counted. (Comp. Genesis 34:30.)Strangers in it.—Sojourners, μέτοικοι (Genesis 23:4).

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

ELLICOTT, " (20) And when they went from nation to nation.—And they went. This shows that the third plural (“when they were”) is original in the last verse. The reference is to the wanderings of the patriarchs.And from one kingdom.—The conjunction is prosaic, and is not read in Psalms 105:13.

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

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ELLICOTT, " (21) This verse was originally the apodosis to 1 Chronicles 16:19. as in Psalms 105 : “When they were but few . . . and went from nation to nation . . . he suffered no man,” &c.He suffered no man.—Heb., he permitted to no man, as in 2 Samuel 16:11. Psalms 105 has the mere accusative, and a different word for “man” (’âdâm).

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

ELLICOTT, " (22) Saying.—Omitted in the Hebrew, as in Psalms 2:6, and perhaps at the end of 1 Chronicles 16:7, supra.Mine anointed (ones).—Plural of Messiah. Abraham and Sarah were to be progenitors of kings (Genesis 17:16). (Comp. Genesis 23:6.)My prophets.—Literally, do no harm against my prophets—a construction unparalleled elsewhere. Psalms 105 has the usual expression, “to my prophets.” (See Genesis 12, 20, 26 for the passages of patriarchal history to which allusion is here made.)We have now reached the first “seam” in this composite ode. Psalms 105 naturally continues its historic proof of Jehovah’s faithfulness, by reference to the sojourn in Egypt, the Exodus, the wanderings, and the occupation of Canaan. Here, however, this train of thought is abruptly broken off, and a fresh start made in 1 Chronicles 16:23 with Psalms 96. The author, or authors, who compiled this hymn of praise “strung together familiar psalms as a sort of mosaic, to give approximate expression to the festive strains and feelings of the day (Delitzsch).

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

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.Ver. 23. Sing unto the Lord.] See Psalms 96:1, &c {See Trapp on "Psalms 96:1"} &c

ELLICOTT, "Verses 23-33(23-33) See Psalms 96. This psalm, in the Psalter, consists of five strophes or stanzas of six lines each—an artistic arrangement which has been violated here. The subject is the extension of Jehovah’s kingdom over all the world, a thought familiar to the readers of the Book of Isaiah, where most of the ideas and phrases of the psalm may be found.

(23) Sing unto the Lord, all the earth.—The second line of the psalm. The spirited opening of the psalm is purposely weakened, by omission of the first and third lines, in order to make it fit in here. Strophe I. is thus compressed into four lines (1 Chronicles 16:23-24).

All the earth.—All the land (of Israel).

Shew forth.—Heb., tell the (good) news of.

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His salvation.—Deliverance (from exile).

(24) Heathen.—Nations (1 Chronicles 16:31).

(25-27) Strophe II. of the psalm. Jehovah is the Creator; other gods are nonentities.

(25) He also.—And he. The conjunction is not in Psalms 96, and is a prosaic addition of the compiler. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 16:20.)

(26) People.—Peoples.

Idols (’ĕlîlîm).—A favourite expression in Isaiah.

(27) Strength and gladness are in his place.—Psalms 96:6 : “Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.” The psalmist’s idea of the heavenly temple seems to have been understood of the earthly; and then his phrase was altered as unsuitable.

Gladness (hedwâh).—A late word, occurring again in Nehemiah 8:10 only. “Beauty” (tiph’èreth) is ancient.

His place—i.e., the tent of the Ark on Mount Zion. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 15:1; 1 Chronicles 15:3.)

(28, 29) Strophe III. of the psalm, mutilated. A call to all nations to come and worship in the Temple of Jehovah.

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(28) Kindreds of the people.—Clans (races) of the peoples.

(29) So far each verse of this ode has symmetrically consisted of two clauses. The present verse has three—another mark of awkward compilation.

Come before him.—Psalms 96, “into his courts,” that is, the Temple courts: an expression modified here to suit another application.

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.—Rather, bow ye down to Jehovah, in holy vestments. This line ought to be the first of the next couplet.

(30) Fear (plural).—Literally, Writhe ye.

Before him.—The preposition is a compound form common in the Chronicles; in the psalm it is simple.

The world also shall be stable.—A line, which precedes this in the psalm, is omitted here, to the detriment of the sense. That line—“Say ye among the nations, Jehovah is king”—begins the fourth strophe of the original hymn, but is here strangely transferred to 1 Chronicles 16:31.

(31) Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.—In the Hebrew, the initial letters of these words form an acrostic of the sacred Name of Jehovah; and those of the first half of 1 Chronicles 16:32 make up Iahu, another form of the Name.

And let men say.—An adaptation of Psalms 96:10 : “Say ye among the nations.”

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(32) Let the fields rejoice.—Here begins the fifth strophe of the original psalm.

Fields.—Heb., the field, or open country. Psalms 96 has an archaic spelling of the word (sâdai), which is here modernised (sâdèh).

Rejoice.—Exult (not the same word as in 1 Chronicles 16:31).

(33) At the presence of.—The compound preposition of 1 Chronicles 16:30. The climax of the psalm—“He shall judge the world in righteousness, and peoples in his faithfulness”—is here omitted; and this long and heterogeneous composition terminates with verses borrowed from a third source.

PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:23-36The grandeur and unusual comprehensiveness of the adoration and homage here proclaimed, as to be offered to the omnipotent Ruler of all nations, should be well pondered. Our eye and ear may have become too familiar with it, but when put a little into relief, and referred to its original time of day, it is fit to be ranked among the strongest moral evidences of inspiration in the word and the speaker.1 Chronicles 16:23This verse is composed of the latter half of each of the first two verses of the psalm (96.).

BI 23-24, "Declare His glory among the heathen.Declaring God’s gloryI. Declare among the heathen the glory of God’s perfections, that they may acknowledge Him as the true God.II. Declare the glory of His salvation, that they may accept Him as their only Redeemer.III. Declare the glory of His providence, that they may confide in Him as their faithful guardian.IV. Declare the glory of His word, that they may prize it as their chief treasure.

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V. Declare the glory of His service, that they may choose it as their chief occupation.VI. Declare the glory or His residence, that they may seek it m their best home. (William Jackson.)

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.

BI, "He also is to be feared above all gods.The theology of The Old Testamentin the perusal of the Old Testament few sentiments more frequently meet our eye than comparisons between the great object of worship among the Jews and those imaginary deities to which the Gentiles in general paid adoration. This contrast pervades alike their doctrines of religion, their precepts of morality, and their hymns of thanks and praise. To the mind of a legislator, a judge, or a prophet of Israel, comparisons of this kind naturally and unavoidably arose, when he witnessed the ignorance, the polytheism, and the superstitions of the nations around him. As the religious sentiments of the Jews and Gentiles correspond with the objects of their faith and worship respectively, a concise comparison between the theology of the Bible and that of the heathen philosophers cannot fail to be interesting and instructive.I. The Greeks and Romans undoubtedly excelled the Jews, if not in the natural endowments of the mind, at least in every artificial improvement. But in their doctrines respecting the Creator, and His providence and His laws, they can come in no

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competition with the nation whom they fancied they had reason to despise.II. The writers of Greece and Rome greatly exceeded those of Judea in the variety of their publications in the variety of the subjects to which their genius appears to have been adapted. In the authors of the Old Testament, when we again advert to the peculiar subject of their excellence, we find such poetical addresses of reverence or supplication to the supreme Being, and such descriptions of His proceedings and His providence, as the whole circle of human literature cannot elsewhere supply.III. Amongst the Greeks and Romans the most rational opinions entertained on these difficult and important subjects were confined to a small number of the superior classes of society. From the unlearned populace those opinions were, for reasons of pride or policy, systematically and successfully concealed. Amongst the Jews, on the other hand, we find no traces of one creed for the learned and another for the ignorant.IV. The philosophers of Greece and Rome, if they did not themselves believe, permitted or taught the people in general to believe that a different deity presided over every separate nation and every separate city; over almost every different profession among men, and almost every different object of nature; that these various deities often disagreed in their interests and opinions, and opposed each other in their wishes and pursuits. The Jews believed and taught that there was One mighty Being, the Maker and Ruler of the world; to whose authority every other sentient being owed implicit obedience.V. The public worship of the Gentiles was addressed on various occasions to as various objects that were no Gods; and their rites and ceremonies were contaminated always by superstition, and not seldom by impiety. The worship of the Jew was addressed to one God, under one uniform character, as the only proper object of adoration; whose perfections no image could fitly represent, and to whom pure and spiritual worship was the most acceptable. To the one the Sabbath was a pious rest from his labours. With the other, religious festivals were seasons of intemperance, often immoral, and always licentious. (W. Barrow, LL. D.)

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

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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.

BI 28-29, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name.The claims of God to the worship and homage of His creaturesI. God is entitled to and claims the homage of His creatures.II. These claims are made upon us, his intelligent creatures.III. The worship and homage required elevates the man who pays it. (J. Robinson.)

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]

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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!”

CLARKE, "Let the heavens be glad - “Let the supreme angels be glad, and the inhabitants of the earth rejoice.” - T. In this place the Targumist uses the Greek word αγγελοι, angels, in Hebrew letters thus, אנגלי angeley.

BI, "And let men say among the nations, the Lord reigneth.PessimismI. Now, what is the prevalent tendency of opinion, as illustrated in our day, in science, in art, in journalism, in literature, in social speculation? It may certainly be summed up in the one word “pessimism”—that is, unbelief and hopelessness. The illustrations of the tendency are manifold, they come from every side. If we turn to philosophy, we find, as a

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consequence of unbelief, the revival of the old doctrine that life is not worth living, that man is a failure, just as Pyrrho, the ancient sceptic, compared mankind to swine pent up in a foundering, wrecked, and rudderless vessel in the midst of a hurricane. “Since the human race,” says Schopenhauer, “always tends from bad to worse, there is no prospect but ever-deepening confusion and wretchedness.” “Existence,” says Von Hartmann, “is unspeakably wretched, and society will grow worse and worse.” “More dreary, barren, base and ugly,” said Carlyle, “seem to me the aspects of this poor, diminished, quack world, doomed to speedy death,” which he can only wish to be speedy. “A wave of doubt, desolation, and despondency has passed over the world,” says an English poet, Mr. Alfred Austin, in a lecture before the Royal Institution. “One by one all the fondly cherished theories of life, society, and empire have been abandoned; we no longer seem to know whither we are marching, and many appear to think that we are travelling to perdition.” This pessimistic spirit, he said, pervades all society and all thought.II. I will speak mainly of the supposed connection of science with this pessimistic tendency. To science many attribute its growth and its spread. “Science,” says M. Zola, the French novelist, in his speech, “hath emptied nations, and is incapable of re-peopling them; it has ravished happiness from our human souls, and is incapable of restoring it; in proportion as science advances the ideal slips away.” Now I believe science to be beneficent, and I believe pessimism to be destructive, and, desiring to combat the predominant pessimism, I shall try to prove to you that science gives no ground for it at all. Science is part of revelation. Religion on one side is nothing but a knowledge of God, and science deepens our knowledge of God. Religion on the other side is nothing but morality. It is a good mind and a good life. There is not one law of morality which science does not repromulgate and emphasise in thunders louder than those of Sinai. Science is one of the Bibles of God by which, as St. Paul boldly says, the invisible things of Him are rendered visible; it is God’s revelation to the mind of man through the works of Nature, and whatever may be the voice in which God speak to us, it is impossible for Him to lie. If we are faithless, He abideth faithful; He is not able to deny Himself. The supposed antagonism between science and religion is merely due to the passion and ignorance of men. And science has been to men a boon unspeakable, an archangel of beneficence as well as an archangel of power. She has prolonged life, she has mitigated disease, she has minimised torture, she has exorcised superstitious terrors; she has given to feeble humanity the eyes of Argus and the arms of Briareus, she has opened to men’s thoughts unimaginable realms of faerie, and has made fire, flood, and air the vassals of His willIII. Does science tend to unbelief? And it is not true that science leads to unbelief. Whose name stands first in the modern era of science? The name of Sir Isaac Newton. Was he an unbeliever? He was one of the whitest, purest, simplest, most believing souls that ever lived. Whose name stands first in science in our own generation? The name of Michael Faraday. Was he an atheist? His friend found him one day bathed in tears, and asked if he was ill. “No,” he said, “it is not that”; but pointing to his Bible, he said, “While men have this blessed book to teach them, why will they go astray?” It has been sometimes assumed that Charles Darwin was an unbeliever; yet he wrote in his book on the descent of man: “The question whether there is a Creator and Ruler of the Universe has been answered in the affirmative by the highest intellects that ever lived.” There have been scientific atheists, but such men have not been atheists as a necessary consequence of their science, but because they have committed the very fault which they scorn so utterly in priests: it is because they have tried to soar into the secrets of the Deity on the waxen wings of the understanding; it is because they have pushed their

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science to untenable conclusions and mingled it with alien inquiries. H unbelief were a necessary result of science, no benefit which science could possibly bestow could equipoise its curse, for religion means that by which the spirit of man can live. The destruction of religion would be first the triumph of despair, and next the destruction of morality. Once persuade man that he is no better than the beasts that perish, and he will live like the beasts that perish; he will cease to recognise the intangible grandeur of the moral law, and will abandon himself to the struggles of mad selfishness. All religion is based on three primary convictions, of God, of righteousness, and of morality, and these convictions science strengthens and does not destroy. (Dean Farrar.)

God’s rule the saint’s comfortJohn Wesley used to say, “I dare no more fret than curse and swear.” A friend of his said, “I never saw him fretful or discontented under any of his trials, and to be in the company of persons of this spirit always occasioned him great trouble. He said one day, ‘To have persons around me murmuring and fretting at anything that happens is like having the flesh torn from my bones. I know that God sits upon the throne ruling all things!’” (R. Newton.)

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

MEYER, "1 Chronicles 16:23-36

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name … Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. - 1 Chronicles 16:29

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TODAY IN THE WORD

The second half of Romans 1 describes the progressive effects of sin on human thought and action and the growing moral corruption and degradation that follows from a refusal to worship the Creator (Rom. 1:18-32). Based on the natural world alone, people should know enough to seek Him and are “without excuse” for their rejection and suppression of the truth. How did Paul describe the root sin? “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened … [They] exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images” or idols.

To glorify God, then, is to recognize His worthiness to be worshiped—and to fail to glorify God is to worship something else, which is sure to be wrong. Today's reading, a psalm of David composed for the occasion of the return of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (parts of this song are found in Psalms 96, 105, and 106), shows us the proper recognition that God is worthy and the proper response of worshiping and giving glory to God. Everything that He is and does calls forth praise, so much so that only willful sin can blind us to His incomparable greatness.

The key verse in the passage reads: “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name” (v. 29). “Ascribe” basically means to recognize the truth of something, to name it for what it is, and the truth is that honor and glory and worship are “due his name.” We are to see and proclaim the truth of who God is—His strength, splendor, holiness, and lovingkindness. “The Lord reigns,” pure and simple (v. 31). The destiny of history is for all nations to praise Him (vv. 23-28), eagerly joined by all of creation (vv. 30-33; cf. Rom. 8:19-22). God is the Creator, the King, the Everlasting One. His love endures forever, and His justice and power will carry the day.

APPLY THE WORD Joy stands out clearly in today's reading as a quality closely associated with God's glory. He is joy, and when we glorify Him we feel joyful. We are glad, we rejoice, we give thanks, we cry out our praises, we fall on our faces, we dance like David, we raise our hands. The nations sing, the seas resound, and the fields are jubilant. Are God's power, wisdom, and love just dry theological facts for you? The poetry of Scripture, especially the Psalms, can help infuse these facts with

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joy!

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.

ELLICOTT, "(34) O give thanks unto the Lord . . .—Several of the later psalms begin with this beautiful liturgic formula. (See Psalms 106; Psalms 107, 118, 136.; and comp. Jeremiah 33:11.) The ode thus concludes with the thought from which it started (1 Chronicles 16:8).PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:34-36These verses, from the first, forty-seventh, and forty-eighth of Psalms 106:1-48, must have suggested the sad intermediate contents of that psalm, the significant key-note of which is sounded in our thirty-fifth verse. The suggestion in the midst of the unbounded gladness of this day is affecting, and must have been intended for salutary lesson and timely warning. In the midst of the fulness of praise and joy, the people are led to prayer—say ye—and the prayer is an humble petition for

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salvation, union, and protection from every enemy. God's treatment of his anointed people had been on his part one continued protection and one prolonged salvation. Yet they had often neither prayed for these nor acknowledged them. Now they are led again by the hand, as it were, to the footstool of the throne.

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.”

CLARKE, "Save us, O God of our salvation - As he is the saving God, so we may pray to him to save us. To pray to God under the attribute the influence of which we need, serves to inspire much confidence. I am weak; Almighty God, help me! I am ignorant; O thou Father of lights, teach me! I am lost; O merciful God, save me; etc. See the notes on Psa_96:1-13 (note) and Psalm 105 (note).

GILL, "And say ye, save us, O God of our salvation,.... The author of temporal, spiritual, and eternal salvation; the words are a direction to the singers, and those that sung with them, to express the prayer and doxology in the next verse, which both are the same with Psa_106:47. See Gill on Psa_106:47, Psa_106:48; which David directed by a spirit of prophecy, foreseeing the people of Israel would be in captivity among the Heathens; though some think these were added by Ezra; for though there was in his time a return from the captivity, yet many still remained in it.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:35. Deliver us from the heathen — This might seem an improper and unseasonable prayer for David’s time, when the Israelites were not scattered among the heathen, but indeed it was not so: 1st, Because they had already

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been sadly divided by a civil war among themselves; and though they were now externally and visibly united under David, yet he might justly think that there were some who yet retained in their hearts their old leaven, their hatred of him, and their affection to Saul, which might hereafter break forth when occasion was offered, as it did, 2 Samuel 16:8; and therefore he justly prays that they might be gathered and united together in hearty love, as well as in outward show; and, 2d, Because this psalm or prayer was made by David for the use of the church, not only in that present time, but in future ages, in which David foresaw, by the spirit of prophecy, the Israelites would forsake God, and for their apostacy be dispersed among the heathen. In the midst of our praises, we must not forget to pray for those servants of God that are in distress. When we are rejoicing in God’s favours, we should remember our afflicted brethren, and pray for their deliverance as our own. We are members one of another.

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, [and] glory in thy praise.Ver. 35. Save us, O God of our salvation.] Pitch upon fit attributes in prayer: this will both strengthen faith and excite affection.That we may give thanks.] Which we both pray that we may, and promise that we will do.ELLICOTT, "Verse 35-36

(35, 36) See Psalms 106:47-48.

(35) And say ye.—Not in Psalms 106:47. The compiler or interpolator has added it here in order to connect 1 Chronicles 16:34 (Psalms 106:1) with 1 Chronicles 16:35 (Psalms 106:47). It was doubtless suggested by Psalms 96:10 : “Say ye among the nations, The Lord reigneth.”

O God of our salvation.—The psalm has “Jehovah our God.”

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Gather us.—The phrase used in Jeremiah 32:37, and many other places, of Israel’s restoration from exile.

And deliver us.—Not in the psalm, where the words “gather us from among the heathen” certainly refer to the dispersion. This reference is eliminated by the compiler’s insertion.

Glory in thy praise.—“Glory” (hishtabbçah) is a common Aramaic word, found only here (and in Psalms 106) in the Old Testament.

(36) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.—The Bĕrâchâh or benedictory close of the fourth book of the Psalter. This doxology did not form part of the original psalm, which closed with 1 Chronicles 16:35 (Psalms 106:47). After the psalms had been edited in their present arrangement of five books, each concluding with a doxology, these doxologies came in time to be sung in liturgical service as integral parts of the psalms to which they were appended.

And all the people said, Amen.—Psalms 106:48 has, “And let all the people say, Amen. Hallelujah.” The chronicler, or rather the interpolator of his work has altered a liturgical direction, or rubric, into a historical statement suitable to the occasion to which his long ode is assigned. Instances of a like free handling of fixed formulas may be seen in 2 Chronicles 5:13 and Ezra 3:11.

Those who hold the chronicler himself responsible for this thanksgiving ode, find in it a weighty indication of the fact that the Psalter already existed in its present shape at his epoch. The historian might, of course, have inserted such a composition in his work, as fairly and freely as such writers as Thucydides and Livy have put ideal speeches into the mouths of their leading-characters; but, for reasons already stated, we do not think that the ode should be ascribed to his pen.

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36 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

JAMISON, "all the people said, Amen — (Compare Psa_72:19, Psa_72:20; Psa_106:48). In the former, the author of the doxology utters the “amen” himself, while in the latter the people are exhorted to say “amen.” This may arise from the fact that the latter psalm originally concluded with the injunction to say “amen.” But in this historical account of the festival, it was necessary to relate that the people obeyed this injunction on the occasion referred to, and therefore the words “let them praise,” were altered into “and they praised” [Bertheau].

BI, "And all the people said, Amen.The people’s amenI. Indicating—

1. Attention.2. Appreciation.3. Interest in the service.

II. A solemn sealing.III. A real duty. (J. Wolfendale.)

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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.

GILL, "So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brethren,.... Whom he, that is, David, had appointed for the service of it: to minister before the ark continually; in singing the praises of God: as every day's work required; at the time of the morning and evening sacrifice, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it.

HENRY 37-43, "The worship of God is not only to be the work of a solemn day now and then, brought in to grace a triumph; but it ought to be the work of every day. David therefore settles it here for a constancy, puts it into a method, which he obliged those that officiated to observe in their respective posts. In the tabernacle of Moses, and afterwards in the temple of Solomon, the ark and the altar were together; but, ever since Eli's time, they had been separated, and still continued so till the temple was built. I cannot conceive what reason there was why David, who knew the law and was zealous for it, did not either bring the ark to Gibeon, where the tabernacle and the altar were, or bring them to Mount Zion, where the ark was. Perhaps the curtains and hangings of Moses's tabernacle were so worn with time and weather that they were not fit to be removed, nor fit to be a shelter for the ark; and yet he would not make all new, but only a tent for the ark, because the time was at hand when the temple should be built. Whatever was the reason, all David's time they were asunder, but he took care that neither of them should be neglected. 1. At Jerusalem, where the ark was, Asaph and his brethren were appointed to attend, to minister before the ark continually, with songs of praise, as every day's work required, 1Ch_16:37. 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 (Psa_141:2), so early did spiritual worship take place of ceremonial. 2. Yet the ceremonial worship, being of divine institution, must by no means be omitted; and therefore at Gibeon were the altars where the priests attended, for their work was to sacrifice and burn incense, which they did continually, morning and evening, according to the law of Moses, 1Ch_16:39, 1Ch_16:40. These must be kept up because, however in their own nature they were inferior to the moral services of prayer and praise, yet, as they were types of the mediation of Christ, they had a great deal of honour put upon them, and the observance of them was

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of great consequence. Here Zadok attended, to preside in the service of the altar; as (it is probable) Abiathar settled at Jerusalem, to attend the ark, because he had the breast-plate of judgment, which must be consulted before the ark: this is the reason why we read in David's time both Zadok and Abiathar were the priests (2Sa_8:17; 2Sa_20:25), one where the altar was and the other where the ark was. At Gibeon, where the altars were, David also appointed singers to give thanks to the Lord, and the burden of all their songs must be, For his mercy endureth for ever, 1Ch_16:41. They did it with musical instruments of God, such instruments as were appointed and appropriated to this service, not such as they used on other occasions. Between common mirth and holy joy there is a vast difference, and the limits and distances between them must be carefully observed and kept up. Matters being thus settled, and the affairs of religion put into a happy channel, (1.) The people were satisfied, and went home pleased. (2.) David returned to bless his house, resolving to keep up family worship still, which public worship must not supersede.

JAMISON 37-42, "So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, etc. — The sequel of the chapter describes the appointment of the sacred musicians and their respective duties.

K&D 37-38, "Division of the Levites for the management of the public worship. - At the same time as he set up the ark in the tent erected for it on Mount Zion, David had prepared a new locality for the public worship. The Mosaic tabernacle had continued, with its altar of burnt-offering, to be the general place of worship for the congregation of Israel even during the long period when the ark was separated from it, and it was even yet to be so; and it became necessary, in order to carry on the religious service in both of these sanctuaries, to divide the staff of religious officials: and this David now undertook.1Ch_16:37-38

Before the ark he left Asaph with his brethren ( ל( nerht before the accus. obj., according to the later usage), to serve, to minister there continually. מ בי ם ,לדבר־י“according to the matter of the day on its day,” i.e., according to the service necessary for each day; cf. for this expression, Exo_5:13, Exo_5:19; Exo_16:4, etc. “And Obed-edom and their brethren.” In these words there is a textual error: the plural suffix in אחיהםshows that after ם אד עבד at least one name has been dropped out. But besides that, the relation in which the words, “and Obed-edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be porters,” stand to the preceding clause, “and Obed-edom and their brethren,” is obscure. Against the somewhat general idea, that the words are to be taken in an explicative sense, “and Obed-edom indeed,” etc., the objection suggests itself, that Obed-edom is here defined to be the son of Jeduthun, and would seem to be thereby distinguished from the preceding Obed-edom. In addition to that, in 1Ch_15:21 and Obed-edom is mentioned among the singers, and in 1Ch_16:24 one of the doorkeepers bears that name, and they are clearly distinguished as being different persons. On the other hand, however, the identity of the two Obed-edoms in our verse is supported by the fact that in

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1Ch_26:4-8 the doorkeepers Obed-edom with his sons and brethren number sixty-two, which comes pretty nearly up to the number mentioned in our verse, viz., sixty-eight. Yet we cannot regard this circumstance as sufficient to identify the two, and must leave the question undecided, because the text of our verse is defective. Jeduthun the father of Obed-edom is different from the chief musician Jeduthun (= Ethan); for the chief musician is a descendant of Merari, while the doorkeeper Jeduthun belongs to the Korahites (i.e., Kohathites): see on 1Ch_26:4.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:37. He left there before the ark — Asaph and his brethren — He appointed them their work and station there. Indeed, no incense was burned there, nor sacrifices offered, because the altars were not there; but David’s prayers were directed as incense, and the lifting up of his hands as an evening sacrifice. So early did spiritual worship take the place of ceremonial.

COFFMAN, " "These verses reveal that a permanent ministry and choir were established in Jerusalem for the purpose of carrying forward the worship of God continually on a regular schedule, an achievement hitherto unattainable."[5]

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:37 So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required:Ver. 37. As every day’s work required.] Or, To do every day what he did on one day: for we must continue thankful.

ELLICOTT, "Verses 37-42

(37-42) Resumption and conclusion of the narrative suspended at 1 Chronicles 16:7.

(37) So (and) he left there.—Were the above ode interposed by the chronicler himself, he might better have written, “And David left.”

As every day’s work required.—Literally, for a day’s business in its own day—i.e., 91

to perform the services appointed for each day. (Comp. Exodus 5:13.)

(38) And Obed-edom with (and) their brethren.—The pronoun their shows that a word or words have fallen out. It is simplest to supply “Hosah,” and render: And (he left there) Obed-edom and Hosah and their brethren, sixty-eight persons. The construction, however, is altered from that of 1 Chronicles 16:37 : “Asaph and his brethren.” (Comp. 1 Chronicles 16:39.)

Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun.—This repetition is tautologous, but hardly obscure. 1 Chronicles 26:8 assigns sixty-two members to the house of Obed-edom.

Jeduthun.—Not the Merarite minstrel (1 Chronicles 6:44, Ethan). Obed-edom was a Korhite, i.e., a Kohathite (1 Chronicles 26:1-4).

(39) The narrative now passes from the tent on Zion to the Mosaic tabernacle at Gibeon. The establishment of the Ark in its new abode was the inauguration of a new national sanctuary. But the old one at Gibeon was not therefore abandoned. On the contrary, David either instituted or formally recognised the priesthood of Zadok therein.

And Zadok.—The name is preceded in the Hebrew by the sign of the accusative case, and therefore depends on the verb he left (1 Chronicles 16:37).

The priest.—Par excellence—i.e., the High Priest (1 Samuel 1:9; 1 Samuel 2:11; 2 Kings 11:9; 2 Kings 11:15).

In the high place.—See 1 Kings 3:3-4.

(40) Continually morning and evening.—The Tamid, or regular burnt offering of a

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lamb at dawn and sunset, with its food offering and drink offering, as prescribed in Exodus 29:38, sqq., and Numbers 28:3, sqq.

And to do.—Literally, and for everything that is written, viz., all the other prescribed sacrifices and duties of the priests. Nothing is here said of similar duties of the priests before the Ark on Zion. But it ought not to be argued from this omission that in the chronicler’s opinion only choral services took place there. If, as we have supposed, Abiathar was attached to David’s sacred tent, sacrifice must have been offered there as well as at Gibeon. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 18:16. ) The present account says nothing of this, because the writer is mainly interested in the service of song. (See 1 Kings 8:1-4.)

(41) The narrative returns to its principal topic—the Levitical minstrels.

And with them (Zadok and his brethren) Heman and Jeduthun.—These two masters of song ministered in the tabernacle at Gibeon, as their colleague Asaph did in the tent on Zion.

Who were expressed (enrolled) by name.—1 Chronicles 12:31. Their names are not given here, but they may be partially included in the list of 1 Chronicles 15:19-24. Asaph’s corps has been individually specified at 1 Chronicles 16:5, perhaps as the more important body.

To give thanks to the Lord.—In describing the chief function of the choirs stationed at Gibeon, the chronicler repeats the liturgical formula of 1 Chronicles 16:34; probably with an allusion to odes like Psalms 136, in which these words constitute a continual refrain.

(42) And with them Heman and Jeduthun.—The last verse began with the same words, a fact which renders them suspicious here. The LXX., Syriac, and Arabic omit the proper names.

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With trumpets . . . with musical instruments.—The prepositions are wanting in the Hebrew text, which might be rendered thus: “And with them [viz., Heman and Jeduthun] were clarions and cymbals for persons playing aloud [comp. 1 Chronicles 16:5], and instruments of sacred music.” From 1 Chronicles 15:9, compared with 1 Chronicles 16:5, it appears that the three conductors (Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun) played cymbals only, to accent the time: and from 1 Chronicles 15:24 and 1 Chronicles 16:6, we know that the clarions were blown by priests. Omitting as spurious the names of the two leaders, who are not likely to have had the custody of the various instruments of their choirs, the meaning of the verse is simply that the Levitical minstrels were provided with proper instruments to accompany their singing.

Musical instruments of God.—Literally, instruments of song of God—i.e., of sacred music. Harps and lutes are meant.

Sons of Jeduthun.—See 1 Chronicles 16:38. Obed-edom, son of Jeduthun, was a warder before the Ark. Thus the warders of both sanctuaries belonged to the same clan.

PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:37-43These verses give the now new-ordained distribution of priests and Levites, to minister and to attend to the service of praise before the ark. And the first of them may be considered to mark an important step in advance in the crystallizing of the world's ecclesiastical institutions. Asaph and his brethren of song are left there before the ark of the covenant… to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required. A permanent local ministry and choir are thus established, with a fixity of place on Zion, and regularity of time that had been hitherto unattainable.

GUZIK, "8. (1 Chronicles 16:37-43) Postscript: Maintaining the worship of God.

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So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly, as every day’s work required; and Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren, including Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers; and Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place that was at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the Law of the LORD which He commanded Israel; and with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because His mercy endures forever; and with them Heman and Jeduthun, to sound aloud with trumpets and cymbals and the musical instruments of God. Now the sons of Jeduthun were gatekeepers. Then all the people departed, every man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.

a. So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant: This emphasizes the point made previously in 1 Chronicles 16:4-6, that David deliberately planned for this to be more than a one day spectacular. He instituted ongoing service and worship before the ark of the covenant at its new resting place in Jerusalem.

b. Before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place that was at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD: This reminds us that the center of sacrifice was still at the tabernacle’s altar at Gibeon.

i. “For the time being, Israel’s worship activities and personnel were to be divided between the ark at Jerusalem and the tended altar at Gibeon.” (Selman)

ii. “How long the service at Gibeon was continued we cannot tell; the principle functions were no doubt performed at Jerusalem.” (Clarke)

MEYER, "1 Chronicles 16:37-43 163

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My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. - Psalm 108:1

TODAY IN THE WORD

For about thirty years, Lawrence Dutton has played the viola in the Emerson Quartet, one of the best chamber ensembles of modern times. When the group released a recording of Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross, originally composed for a Good Friday service, he commented, “Haydn was a believer. To realize I'm playing his musical interpretation of some of the most important Scripture is inspiring.” A committed Christian, Dutton wants to honor God through making music: “[T]here are wonderful moments where, as I'm approaching something difficult or leading the music, I offer it up to God as a gift in honor of Him.”

By this point in 1 Chronicles, David's love of music in worship is obvious. Musical instruments and choirs were front and center in the procession accompanying the Ark. The priests' and Levites' duties with regard to music and praise are listed carefully, showing how close these issues were to Israel's heart. In those days, trumpets were longer than the modern version and didn't have keys. The word was also used for shorter rams' horns. Cymbals, perhaps made of copper, were similar to those today. A lyre was a 10-stringed, harp-like instrument, while the harp itself has a proud pedigree stretching from Genesis (4:21) to Revelation (15:2-4). David himself played the harp (1 Sam. 16:23) as well as writing many of the psalms.

We're not sure why the Ark was placed in Gibeon, though we know it remained there until Solomon built the temple. Since David had prepared a special tent in Jerusalem as well, two main worship sites existed and a high priest was needed at each location—Zadok in Gibeon and Abiathar in Jerusalem.

“For his love endures forever” (v. 41) was a kind of short prayer or chorus that signaled the truth of God's covenant lovingkindness. The Hebrew term is hesed (used about 250 times in the Old Testament) indicates both love and faithfulness.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Singing “new songs” to the Lord is a good thing (Rev. 5:9). Today, we encourage you to seek out some new music to add to your favorites. You might ask a friend or a family member to introduce you to an album, artist, or style of music you haven't heard before. Or you could visit a Christian bookstore (local or online) and listen to sample songs beyond your usual choices. It's not new for new's sake—the goal is to be challenged in a fresh way to praise the Lord.

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.

GILL, "The Levites, the brethren of Asaph and Obededom, these were left before the ark to minister there: Obededom also the son of Jeduthun; or Ethan, which some take to be another Obededom; but the ו, "vau" may be explanative, "even Obededom": and Hosah to be porters; these he left to be doorkeepers of the ark.

JAMISON, "Obed-edom with their brethren — Hosah, mentioned at the close of the verse, and a great number besides (see on 1Ch_26:1).

to be porters — doorkeepers.

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TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:38 And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah [to be] porters:Ver. 38. And Obededom.] That is, Obededom and Hosan.PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:38Obed-edom with their brethren. Explanation is needed of the plural pronoun "their." Either another name is wanted with Obed-edom, or tacit reference is made to "Asaph and his brethren," as though the name Asaph had not been followed in its own place by the clause "and his brethren." Keil draws attention to the "three score and two" of 1 Chronicles 26:8, in connection with the three score and eight of this place; and it has been proposed to make up this number by some of the sons of Hosah, of our following verse and of 1 Chronicles 26:11. In this case the name Hesah might be the name missing before, "and their brethren." Conjecture, however, has not sufficient clue here to warrant it, and the textual state of this verse must be debited with the obscurity. The ambiguity respecting the name Obed-edom has already (1 Chronicles 13:14) been alluded to. Neglecting this ambiguity, it may be repeated that Obed-edom,… son of Jedithun (as the Keri of this passage is) was a Merarite Levite, while Obed-edom son of Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 15:25) was of Gath-rimmon, a Gittite (2 Samuel 6:10-12; Joshua 21:24), a Kohathite (1 Chronicles 6:66, 1 Chronicles 6:69), and a Korhite (1 Chronicles 26:1-5).

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

BARNES, "1Ch_16:39This is the first mention that we have of Gibeon as the place at which the tabernacle of

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the congregation now rested. Previously it had been at Nob 1Sa_21:1-6, from where it was removed probably at the time of the slaughter of the priests by Doeg 1Sa_22:18-19. It is uncertain whether Gibeon was regarded as a “high place” before the transfer to it of the tabernacle: hut thenceforth, until the completion of Solomon’s Temple, it was the “great high place” 1Ki_3:4 - a second center of the national worship which for above 50 years was divided between Gibeon and Jerusalem.

CLARKE, "Zadok the priest - Both Zadok and Abiathar were high priests at this time: the former David established at Gibeah, or Gibeon, where the ark had been all the days of Saul; and the latter he established at Jerusalem, where the ark now was: so there were two high priests, and two distinct services; but there was only one ark. How long the service at Gibeon was continued we cannot tell; the principal functions were no doubt performed at Jerusalem.

GILL, "And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests,.... These he left, having appointed them to be before the tabernacle of the Lord, in the high place that was at Gibeon; namely, the tabernacle of Moses, which was removed from Nob thither in the days of Saul, and continued there to the times of Solomon, 1Ch_21:28.

JAMISON 39-40, "And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests,.... These he left, having appointed them to be before the tabernacle of the Lord, in the high place that was at Gibeon; namely, the tabernacle of Moses, which was removed from Nob thither in the days of Saul, and continued there to the times of Solomon, 1Ch_21:28.

K&D, "1Ch_16:39-40ק צד ואת is still dependent on the ויעזב in 1Ch_16:37. The priest Zadok with his

brethren he left before the tent of Jahve, i.e., the tabernacle at the Bamah in Gibeon. For במה see on 2Ch_1:13, and for Zadok on 2Ch_6:12. It is surprising here that no priest is named as superintendent or overseer of the sacrificial worship in the tent of the ark of the covenant. But the omission is accounted for by the fact that our chapter treats properly only of the arrangement of the sacred music connected with the worship, and Zadok is mentioned as overseer of the sanctuary of the tabernacle at Gibeon only in order to introduce the statement as to the Levitic singers and players assigned to that sanctuary. Without doubt Abiathar as high priest had the oversight of the sacrificial worship in the sanctuary of the tabernacle: see on 1Ch_18:16; with 1Ch_16:40 cf. Exo_29:38; Num_28:3, Num_28:6. לכל־הכתוב corresponds to ת and in reference to :להעלall, i.e., to look after all, which was written. This refers not only to the bringing of the sacrifices prescribed, in addition to the daily burnt-offering, but in general to everything

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that it was the priests' duty to do in the sanctuary.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:39. Zadok the priest — Not the high-priest, but the second, and the chief priest at Gibeon, where the tabernacle and altar made by Moses still were, where also the ordinary sacrifices were offered, and the stated worship of God was performed, as the extraordinary worship was before the ark upon great occasions, as when God was consulted, which was to be done before the ark, and by the high-priest, who now was Abiathar, and who therefore abode with the ark, when Zadok was left at Gibeon.

COFFMAN, " "It is here brought into prominence that the ark and the tabernacle were in two separate places. The great ordinary sacrifices, including the morning and evening sacrifices as commanded in Exodus 38:2, were now resumed in the tabernacle, `according to all that is written in the law of the Lord.'"[6]

The significance of what David accomplished here is great indeed; and the Chronicler has provided in 1 Chronicles 15:39, "An explanation of where the tabernacle had been after it was removed from Nob."[7]

"During the times of the Judges, the tabernacle had been at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1); during the reign of Saul, it was at Nob (1 Samuel 21); and it was later at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39); and latolomon laid it up in the temple (1 Kings 8:4)."[8]

Of course, the ark belonged in the tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies; and, although David was here unable to bring about the restoration of their true relation to each other, he did set in motion the events that would eventually lead to their being together when the temple was erected by Solomon to replace the tabernacle. The purpose of the Chronicler in what is written in these chapters is clear enough. He is telling us how the true worship of God eventually came to be reestablished according to God's original instructions in the Pentateuch. This, of course, is precisely why radical critics pretend to find so much fault with Chronicles.

COKE, "1 Chronicles 16:39. And Zadok the priest, and his brethren, &c.— Zadok 100

was the chief of the secondary priests, and ministered in the tabernacle of Moses then at Gibeon. Here the ordinary worship of God was performed, and the daily sacrifices offered on the altar made by Moses; but the extraordinary worship was performed before the ark at Jerusalem, where Abiathar the high priest attended. See Bishop Patrick. The words, and with them Heman and Jeduthun, at the beginning of the 42nd verse, are omitted by the LXX. Instead of, cymbals for those that should make a sound, in that verse, Houbigant reads, well-sounding cymbals. See ch. 1 Chronicles 15:19.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, The ark being safely lodged, great sacrifices were offered in honour to God; the people nobly feasted, and a constant course of Levites was now appointed to sing God's praises, and to commemorate the mercies which they had received from him. Note; (1.) Grateful praise is the most acceptable sacrifice. (2.) The hungry who wait upon God shall be filled with his good things. (3.) Our worship of God must be regular and constant: whatever engagements may call us off, we must never omit the daily work of prayer and praise.

2nd, David's psalm opens [1.] with thanksgiving. God's people are bound (1.) to praise him. (2.) To call upon him in prayer, for the continuance of his mercies. (3.) To publish his glory to others. (4.) To rejoice in him; yea, to glory in his name, in his love, power, faithfulness, and mercy. [2.] It contains grateful memorials of God's dealings, which deserve everlasting remembrance. (1.) The covenant established with their fathers, and fulfilled to them. (2.) The miraculous works and providential preservation for which they were indebted to him. (3.) The statutes and judgments of his revealed will, with which they were so peculiarly favoured. [3.] It proceeds to declare the transcendant excellency of Israel's God. (1.) He, as the Creator, is alone deserving of worship, fear, and adoration. (2.) His perfections are great beyond compare, his strength almighty, his goodness unutterable, his glory surpasing, his dominion universal. (3.) He who is the universal governor, is also the universal judge; at whose bar the eternal state of man must be determined. [4.] In consequence of these views of God's glory, and past experience of his mercy, the Psalmist closes his song of praise with the language of prayer. (1.) He begs salvation from every enemy. (2.) That God would gather together his people, now in the land of promise, and shortly in the regions of glory. (3.) Lastly, he declares, that the consequence of his continual grace will engage their everlasting praise. [5.] The people hereunto added their joyful amen, and praised the Lord: and so may every faithful soul, in every age and place, exalt God's glory, grace, and faithfulness; and,

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as in duty bound, earnestly supplicate the continuance of the same blessings.

3rdly, The ark being fixed at Jerusalem, and the Levites appointed to minister before it, David takes a little care of the tabernacle at Gibeon. There Zadok attended, with the priests and Levites, to offer the appointed sacrifices continually, while Abiathar probably abode at Jerusalem, to consult the Lord before the ark. The service of God being thus settled, the people departed with joy, and David went down to bless his house, to pray with them, and for them. Note; Public services must never supersede private and family devotion.

WHEDON, "39. Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle… at Gibeon — The tabernacle had probably been removed to the high place at Gibeon soon after the slaughter of the priests at Nob, 1 Samuel 22:19; and Zadok had, perhaps, been appointed high priest during the latter years of Saul’s reign. So David did not interfere with the worship at Gibeon, but left (1 Chronicles 16:37) Zadok there to minister as high priest, and to carry on the regular tabernacle service and the offering of burnt offerings. At the same time, however, he provided for a regular service before the ark in the new tabernacle on Zion, and thus furnished a charge for Abiathar, his old friend, and faithful companion in the days of his exile. 1 Samuel 22:20-23. Thus matters continued until the time of Solomon, who deposed Abiathar, (1 Kings 2:26,) and after the building of the temple transferred all the sanctuary service thither. 1 Kings 8:4. Comp. note on 2 Samuel 6:17.

TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 16:39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that [was] at Gibeon,Ver. 39. That was at Gibeon.] For hither was the tabernacle brought, after that brutish slaughter of the priests by Saul at Nob. [1 Samuel 22:11-19]

PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:39

While those above-mentioned were to officiate before the ark on Zion, those mentioned in this and following verses are the officiating staff at Gibson. It is now

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brought into prominence that the ark and the tabernacle are in two separate places. The great ordinary sacrifices and services, "all that is written in the Law of the Lord," are carefully observed on the original altar (Exodus 38:2) in the tabernacle. Other and special sacrifices evidently were offered in the presence of the ark. The tabernacle erected in the wilderness was first stationed at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1; 1 Samuel 4:3, 1 Samuel 4:4). The occasion of its removal to Nob (1 Samuel 21:1; 1 Samuel 22:19) is not narrated. The present passage first tells us where it had been since the slaughter of the priests at Saul's command by Doeg the Edomite. Some distinct statement, like that of 1 Chronicles 21:29 and 2 Chronicles 1:3, might have been expected here. Zadok the priest is given (1 Chronicles 6:4-9) as in the line of Eleazar.

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.

BARNES, "1Ch_16:40Upon the altar of the burnt offering - The original altar of burnt-offering Exo_27:1-8 continued at Gibeon with the tabernacle 2Ch_1:3, 2Ch_1:5. David must have erected a new altar for sacrifice at Jerusalem 1Ch_16:1. The sacrifices commanded by the Law were, it appears, offered at the former place; at the latter were offered voluntary additional sacrifices.

GILL, "To offer burnt offerings unto the Lord,.... Which was the work of the priests only to do: upon the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening; the lambs of the daily sacrifice, which were a burnt offering, and only to be offered on the brasen altar at the tabernacle: and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he

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commanded Israel; with regard to them, and all other sacrifices, see Exo_29:38.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:40. Which he commanded Israel — These must be kept up, because, however in their own nature they were inferior to prayer and praise, yet, as they were types of the mediation of Christ, the observance of them was of mighty importance.

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.”

BARNES, "1Ch_16:41The rest ... - Rather, “the rest of the chosen ones, who were mentioned by name.” The “chosen ones” were “mentioned by name” in 1Ch_15:17-24. A portion of them, namely, those named in 1Ch_16:5-6, conducted the service in Jerusalem; the remainder were employed in the worship at Gibeon.

GILL, "And with them,.... That is, with Zadok, and the priests with him at Gibeon: he left Heman and Jeduthun: or Ethan, two principal singers: and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name; see 1Ch_16:18. to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever; to praise him for his benefits, flowing from his grace and mercy continually.

PULPIT, "1 Chronicles 16:41, 1 Chronicles 16:42

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Comparing these verses with 1 Chronicles 16:4-6 and 1 Chronicles 16:37-40, it may be supposed that we are intended to understand that of all who were set apart and who had been expressed by name (as e.g. 1 Chronicles 15:4-24), some were now formally appointed to serve before the ark, and some in the tabernacle at Gibeon. The confusion existing in these verses by the repetition of the preposition with, and the proper names Heman and Jeduthun, betrays some corruptness of text. The Septuagint does not show them in the latter verse. The sons of Jeduthun are found in 1 Chronicles 25:3.BI, "To give thanks to the Lord.Praise in song (for a Choir Service):—King David was the greatest innovator in worship of whom Scripture contains a record, for he introduced instrumental music to guide popular singing in worship, and he formed the whole tribe of Levi into a guild of various branches, one of which was employed in the musical services of religion. There had always been in Israel a tendency to song. At the digging of a well, at the winning of a victory, at the issue of a great deliverance the people sang, not men only, or priests only, but men and women. But music was not in the stated worship of God till David organised it. It was this organisation that Solomon found ready to his hand. The purpose of the music, the purport of the song, was praise for the mercy of the Lord: “to give thanks unto the Lord, because His mercy endureth for ever.” “I am burdened with the sense of the mercies of God,” said the dying Norman Macleod. That was the burden of Israel and Judah in the old time (2Ch_20:21; Ezr_3:11). That was the National Anthem of Israel. There is none like it yet, not even Luther’s, though that comes next to it. It is a hymn we might sing in eternity. There is something to stir the heart in the mercy of God. There were many things that stirred the heart of Israel, but this one was always the chief. We know very little about the hymns or music of the early Church. Everything that was sung that was not a psalm seems to have been called a hymn. Paul enjoins “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” as a means of instruction and teaching. Thus it was at the German Reformation. Thus it was at the Scottish Reformation, when almost all the learning was of rhyme; psalms, beatitudes, creeds, and commandments—they rhymed and sang them all. The Gnostic heretics had, through their hymns, such hold on the heart, that he was the best champion of orthodoxy who could write a rival hymn. The Arians also swayed the mobs of the great cities of the East by their processions and their songs, and their catches sung at meal hours, so that Ambrose and Chrysostom had to counteract them with hymns that were charged with the very truth of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost. To you members of the choir I would say, “You sing not as pagans sang; your music is not a refined amusement, or a toy, but a consecration to God of a great gift with which the Lord of the talents has entrusted you. It is given you that by its use you may lead us up to God. It is not congregational worship if some one sings in the presence of the congregation. The heart of the people must go with the singer. There is not much more worship in hearing some one sing than there would be in seeing some one paint. But there is a strange power in music—above all in the music of the human voice—to awaken emotion. Some of the grandest preaching I have ever heard was the singing of a hymn with a purpose. It was not worship, but it was wonderful teaching, and it led to worship—worship of the highest kind. Now triumph will be in the music that moves us to noble deeds. When one Greek orator spoke, men said, ‘What a noble

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speech!’ but when the other spoke men looked on each other, grasped their swords and said, ‘Let us march on Macedon.’ And if you use your gift to the highest purpose it will have for its result that we will arise and go to our Father.” Basil said the Holy Ghost was the author of Christian music. This lifts up the central purpose beyond mere notation; the Holy Ghost takes of the things of Christ and shows them to us. (Prof. Charteris, D. D.)

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.

CLARKE, "Musical instruments of God - Ad canendum Deo, “to sing to God.” -Vulgate. Των ωδων του Θεου, “of the sons of God.” - Septuagint. The Syriac is remarkable: “These were upright men who did not sing unto God with instruments of music, nor with drums, nor with listra, nor with straight nor crooked pipes, nor with cymbals; but they sang before the Lord Almighty with a joyous mouth, and with a pure and holy prayer, and with innocence and integrity.” The Arabic is nearly the same. None of the versions understand the words כלי שיר האלהים keley shir haelohim as implying instruments of music of God, but instruments employed in the song of God, or to praise God; as also the Targum. Query, Did God ever ordain instruments of music to be used in his worship? Can they be used in Christian assemblies according to the spirit of Christianity? Has Jesus Christ, or his apostles, ever commanded or sanctioned the use of them? Were they ever used any where in the apostolic Church? Does the use of them at present, in Christian congregations, ever increase the spirit of devotion? Does it ever appear that bands of musicians, either in their collective or individual capacity, are more spiritual, or as spiritual, as the other parts of the Church of Christ? Is there less pride, self-will, stubbornness, insubordination, lightness, and frivolity, among such persons, than among the other professors of Christianity found in the same religious society? Is it ever remarked or known that musicians in the house of God have attained to any depth of piety, or superior soundness of understanding, in the things of God? Is it ever found that those Churches and Christian societies which have and use instruments of music in Divine worship are more holy, or as holy, as those societies which do not use them? And

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is it always found that the ministers which affect and recommend them to be used in the worship of Almighty God, are the most spiritual men, and the most spiritual and useful preachers? Can mere sounds, no matter how melodious, where no word nor sentiment is or can be uttered, be considered as giving praise to God? Is it possible that pipes or strings of any kind can give God praise? Can God be pleased with sounds which are emitted by no sentient being, and have in themselves no meaning? If these questions cannot be answered in the affirmative: then, query, Is not the introduction of such instruments into the worship of God antichristian, and calculated to debase and ultimately ruin the spirit and influence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And should not all who wish well to the spread and establishment of pure and undefiled religion, lift up their hand, their influence, and their voice against them? The argument from their use in the Jewish service is futile in the extreme when applied to Christianity.

GILL, "And with them Heman and Jeduthun, with trumpets and cymbals,.... Or with them were the trumpets and cymbals, as Kimchi; or, as Piscator supplies it, with them he "left" the trumpets and cymbals: for those that should make a sound; by striking upon them: and with musical instruments of God; sacred ones, such as were devoted to his service, as psalteries and harps; the Syriac and Arabic versions carry the sense of the words quite differently, that these men did not sing with those musical instruments, but with a pleasant voice, and with pure and acceptable prayers, in humility and uprightness, glorified God: and the sons of Jeduthun were porters; at the tabernacle in Gibeon.

BENSON, "1 Chronicles 16:42. With musical instruments of God — Appropriated to the worship of God; not such as they used on other occasions. Between common mirth and holy joy, there is a vast difference; and the limits and distances between them must be carefully kept up.

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

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GILL, "And all the people departed, every man to his house,.... Having accompanied the ark to its place, and having praised the Lord for it, and been refreshed with food, see 2Sa_6:19. and David returned to bless his house; his family; the Targum is,"to bless the people;''see 2Sa_6:20.

ELLICOTT, " (43) This verse is a duplicate of 2 Samuel 6:19-20 a.Departed.—Plural; Samuel has singular.Returned.—Rather, went round (1 Chronicles 10:14). Samuel has “returned,” which in Hebrew is very similar.The incident which in 2 Samuel 6:20-23 here follows (Michal’s encounter with David) is omitted by the chronicler as a matter of purely domestic interest, and therefore out of place in his history, which is mainly concerned with the sacred institutions. 1 Chronicles 15:29, however, plainly implies the story.

SIMEON, "Verse 43DAVID’S ATTENTION TO HIS HOUSEHOLD

1 Chronicles 16:43. And David returned to bless his house.

IT is truly delightful to see the operation of religion on the soul of man; how it transforms him from a carnal and selfish creature, into a spiritual and heavenly being, who, like the sun in the firmament, steadily pursues his course, and shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Beautifully was it exemplified by David in the history before us; in illustration of which we shall notice,

I. The work in which he had been engaged—

This was, the bringing up of the ark from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem: and,

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A glorious work it was—

[In itself, it was a work of vast importance. For many years had the ark lain in obscurity at Kirjath-jearim, without any application being made to it for instruction from God. But, when brought up to Jerusalem, it would be accessible at all times; and, in all difficult emergencies, the will of Jehovah might be learned from it. Indeed, the whole account respecting it shews us clearly, in what light it was viewed by the nation at large — — —

As a typical act, its importance rises still higher in our estimation. It was undoubtedly typical of Christ’s ascension into heaven; for in that view it is spoken of in a great variety of Psalms [Note: Ps. 24. 47. 68. 132.], and in that view the Psalms relating to it are quoted in the New Testament [Note: Compare Psalms 68:18. with Ephesians 4:8.]. Let other Psalms, from the 96th to 99th, be read as referring to both these events, and they will fully illustrate the importance of the work which David had just completed — — —]

And it had been performed in a manner most acceptable unto God—

[In its commencement, it was begun by consulting all the great men in the nation, who were stirred up to concur in it [Note: 1 Chronicles 13:1-3.] — — — In its progress, nothing was left to human invention, as before; but all was conducted with the strictest attention to God’s revealed will. Nor did David commit the service altogether to others: no; he himself attended the procession, and played and sang with all his might; yea, and danced also before the ark with such holy ecstasies, as to subject himself to the scorn and censure of his own wife; who being a stranger to those divine raptures, imputed them, not to pious fervour, but to indecent wantonness. But his joyous exultation was such as the occasion required, and such as, though condemned by Michal, was most pleasing unto God.]

Having seen the service to which he had gone forth, we proceed to notice,

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II. The work to which he returned—

Though he might be well supposed at the conclusion of his service to need repose, yet he went home only to protract his labours in another way. He returned to bless his house; that is,

1. To obtain blessings for them by his prayers—

[He would not confine his religious exercises to public occasions, but went home to stir up in his family those blessed emotions with which his own soul was filled. He was anxious that all his wives, his children, and his servants should be partakers of his joy: and therefore he would unite with them in fervent supplication to the God of all grace, that they might themselves “know the Lord from the least even to the greatest of them,” and all experience the blessedness of his salvation.

Here we behold a bright example, which it behoves us all to follow. Family prayer is, alas! too often neglected, or at best but coldly performed, by many, who profess a high regard for public ordinances: but the true child of Abraham will “command his house and children after him to fear the Lord [Note: Genesis 18:19.],” and will say with Joshua, “Whatsoever others may do, I and my house will serve the Lord [Note: Joshua 24:15.].” If we have family wants, and family mercies, we should unite our prayers and our praises with our families, that God may be acknowledged as the one source from whence all good either has issued, or can be hoped for: and though we can easily imagine circumstances wherein such domestic services are impracticable, yet we cannot imagine any real piety to exist where such duties are wilfully neglected.]

2. To render himself a blessing to them by his conduct—

[It was promised to Abraham that he should not only be blessed himself, but be a 110

blessing also to others: and this promise is in fact made to all the believing seed of Abraham. To make others happy was no small part of David’s ambition. Hence he went to his house determined to contribute as far as possible to the edification and comfort of all connected with him. He would instruct the ignorant; and teach, not by precept only, but by example also. His determination was to “walk before his house in a perfect way [Note: Psalms 101:2.]” — — — He would not be proud, or imperious, or passionate, or fretful; but would regulate all his tempers and dispositions by the golden rule of doing as he would be done unto: and “the law of kindness would be ever in his lips.”

How different is this from the conduct of many, who from the public ordinances, in which they profess to take delight, go down to their houses to make them wretched and miserable, rather than to bless them! O let the professors of religion look well to this: for, as a consistent Christian is a blessing wherever he goes, so an inconsistent Christian is a curse, and a stumbling-block to all around him.]

Learn then from hence,

1. How highly we are privileged—

[The ark, even the Lord Jesus Christ himself, is present in the midst of us. To him we may have access; and of him we may inquire continually: and every blessing which was typically derived from the symbol of his presence, shall be really and spiritually obtained by all who seek him. If then David and the whole kingdom of Israel felt such exalted joy in the possession of that which was mere shadow, let us not be unmindful of our privilege in possessing the substance.]

2. In what way we should improve our privileges—

[Let us not only rejoice in them ourselves, but endeavour to communicate the benefit of them to others. Let all who see us, be the better for us; and all who stand in any

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relation to us be constrained to say, that “God is with us of a truth.”]

BI, "And all the people departed, every man to his house On family worshipPublic exercises of religion, when properly conducted, have a happy tendency to prepare the mind for those of a more private nature.Our text tells us that David returned to bless his house—that is, to present them to God in prayer and entreat His blessing upon them. This suggests the duty of family prayer.I. This duty is a practice by which good men have been distinguished in every age.II. Family prayer is a natural and necessary acknowledgment of the dependence of families upon God, and of the innumerable obligations they are under to His goodness.III. This duty is enforced by its tendency, under the blessing of God, to form the minds of children and servants to the love and practice of religion.IV. Family worship may be expected to have a most beneficial influence on the character and conduct of the heads of families themselves.V. Probable pleas which will be urged for the neglect of this duty.

1. Want of ability. Answer—(1) Forms of prayer may be used with advantage.(2) The plea of mental inability will not stand the test of examination, unless it include an incapacity to read.(3) It is more than probable that those who complain of this inability have never made the trial, and consequently never can form any accurate judgment of their qualifications.

2. Want of time. Consider on what principle this plea depends: that religion is not the grand concern; that there is something more important than the service of God; that the pleasing and glorifying our Maker is not the great end of human existence—a fatal delusion, a soul-destroying mistake.3. It has been neglected so long that they know not how to begin.

VI. Hints on the practice.1. Let it ever be joined with reading the Scriptures.2. Let it be constant.3. Attend with a full decision of mind, with the utmost seriousness.4. Seek the aid of the Spirit. (Robert Hall, M. A.)

David’s attention to his householdI. The work in which he had been engaged: the bringing up the ark to Jerusalem. A

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glorious work—1. In itself.2. As typical of Christ’s ascension into heaven (Psa_24:1-10; Psa_47:1-9; Psa_68:1-35; Psa_132:1-18.).

II. The work to which he returned: “to bless his house.”1. To obtain blessings for them by his prayers.2. To render himself a blessing to them by his conduct.

Learn—1. How highly we are privileged. The ark, even the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, is present in the midst of us.2. In what way we should improve our privileges. We should endeavour to communicate the benefit of them to others. (Skeletons of Sermons.)

Domestic dutiesWe cannot always live in public; it is true that we have tent work to do, temple work etc., but when all that is external or public has been done, every man must bless his own home, make his own children glad, make his own hearthstone as bright as he possibly can, and fill his own house with music and gladness. (J. Parker, D. D.)

Footnotes:

1 Chronicles 16:4 Or petition; or invoke113

1 Chronicles 16:5 See 15:18,20; Hebrew Jeiel, possibly another name for Jaaziel. 1 Chronicles 16:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew Remember 1 Chronicles 16:20 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 1 Chronicles 16:29 Or Lord with the splendor of

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