1 Chronicles 16:7-437Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. 8Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 11Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. 12Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 13O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 19When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. 20And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 21He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 23Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. 24Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. 25For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 26For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. 27Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 28Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 29Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 30Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 31Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth. 32Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth. 34O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35And 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. 36Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord. 37So 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: 38And Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters: 39And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon, 40To offer burnt offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel; 41And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever; 42And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters. 43And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house. (1 Chronicles 16:7‑43)
The Psalm of David contained in these verses corresponds to the leading thought of Chronicles and differs altogether from the song mentioned in 2 Sam. 22, which is none other than Psa. 18. This latter stands at the very end of David's history when "Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul." He celebrates the Lord's deliverances for the one who trusts in Him (2 Sam. 22:22And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; (2 Samuel 22:2)), deliverances which began with Israel's exodus out of Egypt (2 Sam. 22:7-157In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. 8Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. 9There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 10He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. 11And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. 12And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. 13Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. 14The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. 15And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. (2 Samuel 22:7‑15)). Then he lays bare the principles of God's government toward His own: "With the gracious Thou dost show Thyself gracious; with the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright; with the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the perverse Thou dost show Thyself contrary" (2 Sam. 22:26-2726With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright. 27With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavory. (2 Samuel 22:26‑27)); then these same principles toward their enemies (2 Sam. 22:2828And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. (2 Samuel 22:28)). This in no wise bars grace toward His beloved, for all that is good in their ways is dependent on their confidence in Him (2 Sam. 22:3131As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. (2 Samuel 22:31)). Finally, after all enemies have been conquered the Lord's anointed is established as head of the nations and strangers are subject to him (2 Sam. 22:44,4844Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. (2 Samuel 22:44)
48It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, (2 Samuel 22:48)). Such, in a few words, is this magnificent Psa. 18 which we find in 2 Sam. 22 as the last prophetic hymn of David. It is followed in 2 Sam. 23 only by the king's last words, when he humbles himself for his conduct, acknowledges God's righteous government toward him but celebrates His grace which is as unchangeable as His promises and proclaims the coming of the righteous Ruler whom he, David, had proved incapable of representing upon earth.
The song of 1 Chron. 16 is completely different. It is the hymn of the beginning of the kingship, proclaimed by the establishment of the ark in Zion: the ark as God's throne in the midst of His people at last being entered into its rest. Indeed, this song is intimately connected with the ark's return. "Then on that day", we are told, "David delivered first this psalm to give thanks to Jehovah through Asaph and his brethren." This psalm is termed "the first" to celebrate the Lord. Here the subject is not, as in Samuel, victory over the wicked, the responsibility of the saints, and God's government regarding them, but God's faithfulness to His promises, at last accomplished by the ark's return to Zion, after Israel had forfeited every right to keep it in their midst.
But before continuing the examination of our chapter, I would like to digress with regard to its contents and that of the entire book which we are studying.
It is extremely important to notice that the ways of God in government, and His counsels of grace are two things that are entirely distinct.
God's counsels and the way they are to be fulfilled as to us exist from all eternity: they have been realized in Christ, the perfect Man whom God has exalted to His right hand, giving us the same blessings and the same glory as to Him. As for that which concerns us, the counsels of God are realized by pure grace. This grace is unchangeable, unvarying, and secure forever for those whom grace has saved through faith in Christ.
God's government is in contrast to His counsels. This government is associated with man's responsibility and exists from the beginning of his history. It was first manifested in Eden where man, innocent but responsible, disobeyed and was driven from the garden and made subject to death. From that moment on, God's government continues to function toward man who is responsible to conduct himself in this world in a way conformable to the righteousness, holiness, and goodness of his Creator who rewards the good and punishes the wicked. On the other hand, doubtless, He makes His sun shine on the just and on the unjust, for He is a God of goodness who, rather than desiring the death of the sinner, leads him to repentance by His longsuffering and patience. Nonetheless it is true that men's wicked actions bring their own consequences, generally already here on earth for themselves, and often for their children to the third or fourth generation. But they are not to be judged on earth, the final word of God's judgment will be pronounced at the last judgment.
As for the elect, we must remember that by virtue of the fall and of the sin thenceforth inherent in their nature, not one — not a single one — is righteous. But God, by faith and through the Spirit who is its seal, communicates a new nature to them, a heart capable of loving, honoring and serving Him. They are the objects of grace and through faith in Christ become the objects of God's favor. This great fact answers to the counsels of God who from all eternity has sought to find His good pleasure in men through Christ. To obtain this result it was needful to conquer Satan who had begotten and summoned forth sin, abolish sin itself, and annul all its consequences. This is the result of Christ's work at the cross.
But the new nature he possesses in no wise dissolves this new man's responsibility. He must maintain the position of relationship with God and with Christ in which grace has placed him. Though still having the flesh, the old man, in him, he is responsible to conduct himself before God according to the new nature, not according to the old. The Holy Spirit, the power of new life, makes him capable of this. That is the reason for God's government toward His elect, His children. If they do good, they are the objects of God's favor here upon earth; if they do evil, of His judgment, and this judgment is all the more prompt and direct in that they are part of a redeemed people: Judgment begins from the house of God. As for the elect individually, this judgment which can touch them only on earth can have no other goal than their final restoration. As for the Church, as the body of Christ she is never judged, but the Church as the house of God can definitely be judged, and the Lord will come upon her as a thief.
There is only one case where judgment is definite and without mercy, namely where the world, the sinful man whether religious or not, sets himself against all the appeals of grace.
Besides the ways of God toward the redeemed, toward His house, and toward men, there is His more general government. God is interested in everything that harmonizes with the precepts of His righteousness and holiness. The man who honors his father and mother, or that young man in the Gospel, amiable although unconverted, prosper on earth. The upright man who does not wrong his neighbor reaps earthly advantages, for God's government operates upon earth although its seat is in heaven. In the new heavens and the new earth there will be no more throne, and consequently, no more government. This government, whether toward the saints, or with regard to the good and the evil is treated of in the books of Samuel and Kings; Chronicles treats rather of the counsels and election of grace. But Chronicles first establishes, whether in the case of natural descent or the case of Saul, the fact that the flesh cannot have part in these counsels. Hence, as we have already remarked, the faults of the elect are passed over in complete silence, except when they are necessary in order to show that God can even use them to accomplish His counsels of grace. Thus it was with the events that surrounded the return of the ark.
Let us now return to look at our chapter. The Song recorded here (1 Chron. 16:8-368Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 11Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. 12Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 13O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 19When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. 20And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 21He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 23Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. 24Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. 25For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 26For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. 27Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 28Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 29Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 30Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 31Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth. 32Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth. 34O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35And 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. 36Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord. (1 Chronicles 16:8‑36)) is composed of fragments of three psalms. Verses 8-22 Correspond to Psa. 105:1-151O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. 2Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. 3Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 4Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. 5Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 6O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. 7He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth. 8He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. 9Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; 10And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: 11Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: 12When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. 13When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; 14He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; 15Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. (Psalm 105:1‑15); verses 23-33 correspond to Psa. 96:1-121O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. 2Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. 3Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. 6Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 8Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. 10Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. 11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice (Psalm 96:1‑12); and finally, verses 34-36 correspond to Psa. 106:1, 47-481Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 106:1)
47Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. 48Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 106:47‑48).
1. The first 15 verses of Psa. 105 are an appeal to celebrate the Lord because of His covenant "which He made with Abraham, and of His oath unto Isaac; and He confirmed it unto Jacob for a statute, unto Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance" (1 Chron. 16:16-1816Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; (1 Chronicles 16:16‑18)). This is a covenant of pure grace, God's faithfulness to His promises, in contrast to the covenant of Sinai, based on the people's responsibility. The passage cited ends with these words: "He suffered no man to oppress them, and reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not Mine anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm" (1 Chron. 16:21-2221He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. (1 Chronicles 16:21‑22)). We do not find a single word about Israel's oppression by the nations as a result of their disobedience. All is free grace in this passage. This is all the more striking as the second part of Psa. 105, omitted here, cannot concur with the purpose that we have indicated. Indeed, in Psa. 105:16-2216Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. 17He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. 20The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 22To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. (Psalm 105:16‑22) we see Joseph rejected by his brothers and sold as a slave, then established as ruler of the nations, bringing us back to Israel's history in responsibility. In Psa. 105:23:45 we find the deliverance from Egypt, the journey through the wilderness under the leadership of Moses and Aaron, and finally, the people's entry into Canaan, "that they might keep His statutes, and observe His laws"-and we know what this regimen of law led to.
This first portion therefore entirely omits the history of the people in responsibility, in order to bring out grace and the promises made long before the law.
2. Psa. 96:1-12 Continue the call to Israel to celebrate the Lord among the nations, and the nations themselves are called upon to give Him glory and strength, to say everywhere: Jehovah reigns.
This section is remarkable for the omission of details that pertain to the theme of Christ's reign but do not pertain to the theme of David's reign. Thus 1 Chron. 16:2323Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. (1 Chronicles 16:23) omits the "new song" of Psa. 96:11O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. (Psalm 96:1) which in the Word is always connected with a new scene, whether upon earth or in the heavens. But this condition will only be fulfilled under Christ's reign. Our 1 Chron. 16:2727Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. (1 Chronicles 16:27) says, "Strength and gladness [are] in His place," and in Psa. 96:66Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. (Psalm 96:6) the psalm says, "Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary." This was not yet the beauty of Christ's reign, although it was the joy of David's reign at its commencement; also, at this time the sanctuary had not yet been built for the ark. In the same way, 1 Chron. 16:2929Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (1 Chronicles 16:29) says, "Come before Him," rather than "Come into His courts" (Psa. 96:88Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. (Psalm 96:8)), and this is again in relation to the transitory state of David's reign. Finally, the words of 1 Chron. 16:3333Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth. (1 Chronicles 16:33): "For He cometh to judge the earth," replace the words of the psalm (Psa. 96:1313Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. (Psalm 96:13)): "For He cometh to judge the earth: He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness." Such a fullness of government could not correspond to David's reign.
3. The third section of our chapter (1 Chron. 16:34-3634O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35And 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. 36Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord. (1 Chronicles 16:34‑36)) is a citation from Psa. 106:1, 47-481Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 106:1)
47Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. 48Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 106:47‑48). Its first verse, "Give ye thanks unto Jehovah; for He is good; for His loving-kindness endureth forever" is very appropriate to the character of Chronicles and to the moment when David rendered his "first" psalm. This song will be sung during the millennium, but it could be sung at the dawn of the reign of David and of the reign of Solomon (2 Chron. 5:1313It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; (2 Chronicles 5:13)), at the moment when God in type fulfilled His counsels of grace with regard to the kingship. Our passage treats only of the establishment of the ark in Zion, and absolutely omits all the rest of the psalm, for the psalm contains the history of the people in responsibility and their complete failure in every circumstance through which they passed, whether in Egypt, in the wilderness, or in Canaan. This account would not have been in accord with the purpose of our book.
Finally, 1 Chron. 16:35-3635And 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. 36Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord. (1 Chronicles 16:35‑36), corresponding to the last two verses of Psa. 106 (vv. 47-48) look ahead to the final accomplishment of all the blessings listed in our chapter. They will be completely realized only by Israel's deliverance from among the nations, a time yet future when this praise shall resound: "Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel, from eternity to eternity!" David's people rejoice in anticipation in this praise. "And all the people said, Amen! and praised Jehovah"
After this song, we find in 1 Chron. 16:37-4337So 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: 38And Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters: 39And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon, 40To offer burnt offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel; 41And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever; 42And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters. 43And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house. (1 Chronicles 16:37‑43) the provisional order of worship before the final establishment of the ark in Solomon's temple. Henceforth the ark of the covenant was placed in Zion, and this is, as we have seen, the prime point of the first book of Chronicles in relation to the kingship. The ark was placed "under curtains", in a tent which David had spread for it. The tabernacle in the wilderness with the brazen altar and the other vessels of the sanctuary was at Gibeon. There burnt-offerings were sacrificed morning and evening. Here David sets up the personnel who would carry out these two functions: at Gibeon, the offering of the sacrifices; at Jerusalem, praise before the ark. There, too, this song was to reverberate, which will endure as long as the Lord Himself: "Give thanks to Jehovah, because His loving-kindness endureth forever" (1 Chron. 16:4141And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever; (1 Chronicles 16:41)). Among those who perform the service before the ark, Obed-edom has the first place, in the midst of so many Levites chosen by David. He was the witness and object of the blessings which the ark brought with it, the special witness of the counsels of grace.
This entire passage that treats of the service of the ark is omitted in the second book of Samuel.