25 For great H1419 is the LORD, H3068 and greatly H3966 to be praised: H1984 he also is to be feared H3372 above all gods. H430
God H410 is greatly H7227 to be feared H6206 in the assembly H5475 of the saints, H6918 and to be had in reverence H3372 of all them that are about H5439 him.
Say H559 unto God, H430 How terrible H3372 art thou in thy works! H4639 through the greatness H7230 of thy power H5797 shall thine enemies H341 submit H3584 themselves unto thee. All the earth H776 shall worship H7812 thee, and shall sing H2167 unto thee; they shall sing H2167 to thy name. H8034 Selah. H5542 Come H3212 and see H7200 the works H4659 of God: H430 he is terrible H3372 in his doing H5949 toward the children H1121 of men. H120
LORD, H3068 what is man, H120 that thou takest knowledge H3045 of him! or the son H1121 of man, H582 that thou makest account H2803 of him! Man H120 is like H1819 to vanity: H1892 his days H3117 are as a shadow H6738 that passeth away. H5674 Bow H5186 thy heavens, H8064 O LORD, H3068 and come down: H3381 touch H5060 the mountains, H2022 and they shall smoke. H6225 Cast forth H1299 lightning, H1300 and scatter H6327 them: shoot out H7971 thine arrows, H2671 and destroy H2000 them.
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, H3068 among the gods? H410 who is like thee, glorious H142 in holiness, H6944 fearful H3372 in praises, H8416 doing H6213 wonders? H6382
Who hath measured H4058 the waters H4325 in the hollow of his hand, H8168 and meted out H8505 heaven H8064 with the span, H2239 and comprehended H3557 the dust H6083 of the earth H776 in a measure, H7991 and weighed H8254 the mountains H2022 in scales, H6425 and the hills H1389 in a balance? H3976 Who hath directed H8505 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD, H3068 or being his counsellor H376 H6098 hath taught H3045 him? With whom took he counsel, H3289 and who instructed H995 him, and taught H3925 him in the path H734 of judgment, H4941 and taught H3925 him knowledge, H1847 and shewed H3045 to him the way H1870 of understanding? H8394 Behold, the nations H1471 are as a drop H4752 of a bucket, H1805 and are counted H2803 as the small dust H7834 of the balance: H3976 behold, he taketh up H5190 the isles H339 as a very little thing. H1851 And Lebanon H3844 is not H369 sufficient H1767 to burn, H1197 nor the beasts H2416 thereof sufficient H1767 for a burnt offering. H5930 All nations H1471 before him are as nothing; and they are counted H2803 to him less than nothing, H657 and vanity. H8414
Fear H3372 ye not me? saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 will ye not tremble H2342 at my presence, H6440 which have placed H7760 the sand H2344 for the bound H1366 of the sea H3220 by a perpetual H5769 decree, H2706 that it cannot pass H5674 it: and though the waves H1530 thereof toss H1607 themselves, yet can they not prevail; H3201 though they roar, H1993 yet can they not pass over H5674 it?
Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; H3068 thou art great, H1419 and thy name H8034 is great H1419 in might. H1369 Who would not fear H3372 thee, O King H4428 of nations? H1471 for to thee doth it appertain: H2969 forasmuch as among all the wise H2450 men of the nations, H1471 and in all their kingdoms, H4438 there is none like unto thee. But they are altogether H259 brutish H1197 and foolish: H3688 the stock H6086 is a doctrine H4148 of vanities. H1892 Silver H3701 spread into plates H7554 is brought H935 from Tarshish, H8659 and gold H2091 from Uphaz, H210 the work H4639 of the workman, H2796 and of the hands H3027 of the founder: H6884 blue H8504 and purple H713 is their clothing: H3830 they are all the work H4639 of cunning H2450 men. But the LORD H3068 is the true H571 God, H430 he is the living H2416 God, H430 and an everlasting H5769 king: H4428 at his wrath H7110 the earth H776 shall tremble, H7493 and the nations H1471 shall not be able to abide H3557 his indignation. H2195
And G2532 they sing G103 the song G5603 of Moses G3475 the servant G1401 of God, G2316 and G2532 the song G5603 of the Lamb, G721 saying, G3004 Great G3173 and G2532 marvellous G2298 are thy G4675 works, G2041 Lord G2962 God G2316 Almighty; G3841 just G1342 and G2532 true G228 are thy G4675 ways, G3598 thou King G935 of saints. G40 Who G5101 shall G5399 not G3364 fear G5399 thee, G4571 O Lord, G2962 and G2532 glorify G1392 thy G4675 name? G3686 for G3754 thou only G3441 art holy: G3741 for G3754 all G3956 nations G1484 shall come G2240 and G2532 worship G4352 before G1799 thee; G4675 for G3754 thy G4675 judgments G1345 are made manifest. G5319
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
1Ch 16:1-6. David's Festival Sacrifice and Liberality to the People.
2. 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 (De 12:7).
3. 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.
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 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.
5. Jeiel—the same as Aziel (1Ch 15:20).
6. Benaiah also and Jahaziel—The name of the former is mentioned among the priests (1Ch 15:24), but not the latter. The office assigned to them was that of blowing trumpets at regular intervals before the ark and in the tabernacle.
1Ch 16:7-43. His Psalm of Thanksgiving.
7. 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 Ps 96:1-13; 105:1-15; 106:47, 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 marvellous 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.
36. all the people said, Amen—(Compare Ps 72:19, 20; 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].
37-42. So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, &c.—The sequel of the chapter describes the appointment of the sacred musicians and their respective duties.
38. 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.
39, 40. And Zadok … before the tabernacle … at Gibeon—While the above-mentioned officers under the superintendence of Abiathar, were appointed to officiate in Jerusalem, whither the ark had been brought, Zadok and the priests subordinate to him were stationed at Gibeon to perform the sacred service before the ancient tabernacle which still remained there.
40. continually morning and evening—as the law enjoined (Ex 29:38; Nu 28:3, 6).
and do according to all that is written in the law—(See Nu 28:1-31). Thus, in the time of David, the worship was performed at two places, where the sacred things that had been transmitted from the age of Moses were preserved. Before the Ark in Jerusalem, Asaph and his brethren officiated as singers, Obed-edom and Hosah served as doorkeepers, and Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets. While at the tabernacle and burnt offering in Gibeon, Heman and Jeduthun presided over the sacred music, the sons of Jeduthun were door keepers, and Zadok, with his suite of attendant priests, offered the sacrifices.