1 Chronicles 16
1 Chronicles 16 is a chapter about worship in which David holds an offering of thanks and praise to God after bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. The chapter can be divided into three main parts. First (verses 1–6) depicts David assigning roles of worship to the Levites and priests after bringing the ark, second (verses 7–36) consists of the songs of praise and thanks David sings to God together with the people, and third (verses 37–43) is made up of the continuing service of the Levites after the worship and David’s return home.
1verseThey brought in God’s ark, and set it in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
2verseWhen David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the LORD’s name.
3verseHe gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.
4verseHe appointed some of the Levites to minister before the LORD’s ark, and to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:
5verseAsaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;
6versewith Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.
7verseThen on that day David first ordained giving of thanks to the LORD by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.
8verseOh give thanks to the LORD. Call on his name. Make what he has done known among the peoples.
9verseSing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works.
10verseGlory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
11verseSeek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more.
12verseRemember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
13verseyou offspring of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
14verseHe is the LORD our God. His judgments are in all the earth.
15verseRemember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,
16versethe covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac.
17verseHe confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
18versesaying, “I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,”
19versewhen you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it.
20verseThey went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.
21verseHe allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,
22verse“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
23verseSing to the LORD, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day.
24verseDeclare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples.
25verseFor great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods.
26verseFor all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
27verseHonor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place.
28verseAscribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
29verseAscribe to the LORD the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the LORD in holy array.
30verseTremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can’t be moved.
31verseLet the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”
32verseLet the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it!
33verseThen the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
34verseOh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
35verseSay, “Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise.”
36verseBlessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD.
37verseSo he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the LORD’s covenant, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required;
38verseand Obed-Edom with their sixty-eight relatives; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;
39verseand Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests, before the LORD’s tabernacle in the high place that was at Gibeon,
40verseto offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the LORD’s law, which he commanded to Israel;
41verseand with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his loving kindness endures forever;
42verseand with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God, and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.
43verseAll the people departed, each man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.
The Centrality of the Ark of the Covenant and Worship (16:1-6)
David and all Israel finally bring God’s ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. At this time, sacrifices (burnt offerings and peace offerings) are presented, and David proclaims blessings to the entire people while distributing food. By appointing among the Levites those responsible for worship and praise, we can see how the order and center of the worship community becomes established.
A Song of Thanks and Praise (16:7-36)
In this section, David assigns to Asaph and his brothers the task of offering a song of praise to God. The song’s content is as follows: it begins by thanking God (verses 8–14), then recalls the history of salvation (verses 15–22), proclaims that the whole world will praise the Lord God (verses 23–33), and finally concludes with a doxology that exalts God once again and asks for blessings on the people (verses 34–36). The song is connected to Psalms 105, 96, and 106, leading us to deeply reflect on who God is and how faithful the covenant God made with Israel is.
Worship in Practice and Ongoing Service (16:37-43)
After the worship is completed, David instructs the Levites and priests to serve God according to their respective roles. In Jerusalem, praise and thanks continue, and in Gibeon, the offerings continue as well. Even David himself wraps things up impressively by returning home and blessing his family, showing that the emotion of worship extends into everyday life.
Points to Reflect On
- True worship: In the worship posture of David and the people of Israel, we can think about genuine thanks and praise offered to God.
- Order in the community: You can reflect on what meaning establishing each person’s roles and order in worship, praise, and service has for today’s faith community.
Try Applying It to Me
- What kind of thanks and praise can I offer to God in my daily life? Think about it, and you can practice a life of giving thanks starting with small things.
- Within the community, my role is to carry it out faithfully, and you can also reflect on whether worship and service naturally continue within your life.
