1 Chronicles 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.