Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 1 Chronicles » Chapter 16 » Verse 4-36

1 Chronicles 16:4-36 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

4 And he appointed H5414 certain of the Levites H3881 to minister H8334 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD, H3068 and to record, H2142 and to thank H3034 and praise H1984 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel: H3478

5 Asaph H623 the chief, H7218 and next H4932 to him Zechariah, H2148 Jeiel, H3273 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Mattithiah, H4993 and Eliab, H446 and Benaiah, H1141 and Obededom: H5654 and Jeiel H3273 with psalteries H5035 H3627 and with harps; H3658 but Asaph H623 made a sound H8085 with cymbals; H4700

6 Benaiah H1141 also and Jahaziel H3166 the priests H3548 with trumpets H2689 continually H8548 before H6440 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of God. H430

7 Then on that day H3117 David H1732 delivered H5414 first H7218 this psalm to thank H3034 the LORD H3068 into the hand H3027 of Asaph H623 and his brethren. H251

8 Give thanks H3034 unto the LORD, H3068 call H7121 upon his name, H8034 make known H3045 his deeds H5949 among the people. H5971

9 Sing H7891 unto him, sing psalms H2167 unto him, talk H7878 ye of all his wondrous H6381 works.

10 Glory H1984 ye in his holy H6944 name: H8034 let the heart H3820 of them rejoice H8055 that seek H1245 the LORD. H3068

11 Seek H1875 the LORD H3068 and his strength, H5797 seek H1245 his face H6440 continually. H8548

12 Remember H2142 his marvellous H6381 works that he hath done, H6213 his wonders, H4159 and the judgments H4941 of his mouth; H6310

13 O ye seed H2233 of Israel H3478 his servant, H5650 ye children H1121 of Jacob, H3290 his chosen ones. H972

14 He is the LORD H3068 our God; H430 his judgments H4941 are in all the earth. H776

15 Be ye mindful H2142 always H5769 of his covenant; H1285 the word H1697 which he commanded H6680 to a thousand H505 generations; H1755

16 Even of the covenant which he made H3772 with Abraham, H85 and of his oath H7621 unto Isaac; H3327

17 And hath confirmed H5975 the same to Jacob H3290 for a law, H2706 and to Israel H3478 for an everlasting H5769 covenant, H1285

18 Saying, H559 Unto thee will I give H5414 the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 the lot H2256 of your inheritance; H5159

19 When ye were but few, H4557 H4962 even a few, H4592 and strangers H1481 in it.

20 And when they went H1980 from nation H1471 to nation, H1471 and from one kingdom H4467 to another H312 people; H5971

21 He suffered H3240 no man H376 to do them wrong: H6231 yea, he reproved H3198 kings H4428 for their sakes,

22 Saying, Touch H5060 not mine anointed, H4899 and do my prophets H5030 no harm. H7489

23 Sing H7891 unto the LORD, H3068 all the earth; H776 shew forth H1319 from day H3117 to day H3117 his salvation. H3444

24 Declare H5608 his glory H3519 among the heathen; H1471 his marvellous works H6381 among all nations. H5971

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

26 For all the gods H430 of the people H5971 are idols: H457 but the LORD H3068 made H6213 the heavens. H8064

27 Glory H1935 and honour H1926 are in his presence; H6440 strength H5797 and gladness H2304 are in his place. H4725

28 Give H3051 unto the LORD, H3068 ye kindreds H4940 of the people, H5971 give H3051 unto the LORD H3068 glory H3519 and strength. H5797

29 Give H3051 unto the LORD H3068 the glory H3519 due unto his name: H8034 bring H5375 an offering, H4503 and come H935 before H6440 him: worship H7812 the LORD H3068 in the beauty H1927 of holiness. H6944

30 Fear H2342 before H6440 him, all the earth: H776 the world H8398 also shall be stable, H3559 that it be not moved. H4131

31 Let the heavens H8064 be glad, H8055 and let the earth H776 rejoice: H1523 and let men say H559 among the nations, H1471 The LORD H3068 reigneth. H4427

32 Let the sea H3220 roar, H7481 and the fulness H4393 thereof: let the fields H7704 rejoice, H5970 and all that is therein.

33 Then shall the trees H6086 of the wood H3293 sing out H7442 at the presence H6440 of the LORD, H3068 because he cometh H935 to judge H8199 the earth. H776

34 O give thanks H3034 unto the LORD; H3068 for he is good; H2896 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever. H5769

35 And say H559 ye, Save H3467 us, O God H430 of our salvation, H3468 and gather us together, H6908 and deliver H5337 us from the heathen, H1471 that we may give thanks H3034 to thy holy H6944 name, H8034 and glory H7623 in thy praise. H8416

36 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 for ever H5769 and ever. H5769 And all the people H5971 said, H559 Amen, H543 and praised H1984 the LORD. H3068

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 16

This chapter concludes that great affair of the settlement of the ark in the royal city, and with it the settlement of the public worship of God during the reign of David. Here is,

  • I. The solemnity with which the ark was fixed (v. 1-6).
  • II. The psalm David gave to be sung on this occasion (v. 7-36).
  • III. The settling of the stated public worship of God in order thenceforward (v. 37-43).

1Ch 16:1-6

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, Ps. 132:4, 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 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 (v. 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, v. 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 (v. 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, v. 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.

1Ch 16:7-36

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 v. 23 is taken from Ps. 105:1, etc.; and then v. 23 to v. 34 is the whole 96th psalm, with little variation; v. 34 is taken from Ps. 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 (v. 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, v. 8), by our songs (Sing psalms unto him), by our discourse-Talk of all his wondrous works, v. 9. Let us glorify him as a great God, and greatly to be praised (v. 25), as supreme God (above all gods), as sole God, for all others are idols, v. 26. Let us glorify him as most bright and blessed in himself (Glory and honour are in his presence, v. 27), as creator (The Lord made the heavens), as the ruler of the whole creation (His judgments are in all the earth, v. 14), and as ours-He is the Lord our God. Thus must we give unto the Lord the glory due to his name (v. 28, 29), and own it, and much more, his due.
  • 2. Let other be edified and instructed: Make known his deeds among the people (v. 8), declare his glory among the heathen (v. 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, v. 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 (v. 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 (v. 15): Be mindful of his covenant. In the parallel place it is, He will be ever mindful of it, Ps. 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 (v. 16-18), yet still sure to the spiritual seed, and the promises of it pleadable.
  • 5. Let God's former mercies to his 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, 1 Ki. 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, v. 19-22.
  • 6. Let the great salvation of the Lord be especially the subject of our praises (v. 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, v. 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, v. 30, 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, v. 32, 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 (v. 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 (v. 8), Give thanks to the Lord; he concludes (v. 36), Blessed be the Lord. And whereas in the place whence this doxology is taken (Ps. 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, 1 Sa. 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, Ps. 69:31, 32.

1Ch 16:37-43

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, v. 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 (Ps. 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, v. 39, 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 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 (2 Sa. 8:17; 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, v. 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.