HE REMEMBERS HIS COVENANT FOREVER

Passage: 1 Chronicles 16:1-22

Key verse: 15

NIV

Ministering Before the Ark(A)(B)(C)

16 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched(D) for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. 2 After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed(E) the people in the name of the Lord. 3 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins(F) to each Israelite man and woman.

4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister(G) before the ark of the Lord, to extol,[a] thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: 5 Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,[b] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise(H) to the Lord in this manner:

8 Give praise(I) to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations(J) what he has done.
9 Sing to him, sing praise(K) to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;(L)
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek(M) his face always.

12 Remember(N) the wonders(O) he has done,
    his miracles,(P) and the judgments he pronounced,
13 you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
    his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
14 He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments(Q) are in all the earth.

15 He remembers[c](R) his covenant forever,
    the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant(S) he made with Abraham,
    the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob(T) as a decree,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan(U)
    as the portion you will inherit.”

19 When they were but few in number,(V)
    few indeed, and strangers in it,
20 they[d] wandered(W) from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
21 He allowed no one to oppress them;
    for their sake he rebuked kings:(X)
22 “Do not touch my anointed ones;
    do my prophets(Y) no harm.”

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Chronicles 16:4 Or petition; or invoke
  2. 1 Chronicles 16:5 See 15:18,20; Hebrew Jeiel, possibly another name for Jaaziel.
  3. 1 Chronicles 16:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew Remember
  4. 1 Chronicles 16:20 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 105:12); most Hebrew manuscripts inherit, / 19 though you are but few in number, / few indeed, and strangers in it.” / 20 They
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Ark Placed in a Tent

16 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside (A)the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat,[a] and a cake of raisins.

4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 (B)Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day (C)David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

David's Song of Thanks

8 (D)Oh give thanks to the Lord; (E)call upon his name;
    (F)make known his deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
10 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
11 (G)Seek the Lord and his strength;
    seek his presence continually!
12 (H)Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
    (I)his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
13 O offspring of Israel his servant,
    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

14 He is the Lord our God;
    (J)his judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant (K)that he made with Abraham,
    his sworn promise to Isaac,
17 which (L)he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
18 saying, (M)“To you I will give the land of Canaan,
    as your portion for an inheritance.”

19 When you were (N)few in number,
    of little account, and (O)sojourners in it,
20 wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people,
21 he allowed no one to oppress them;
    he (P)rebuked kings on their account,
22 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
    do my (Q)prophets no harm!”

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Chronicles 16:3 Compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Levites appointed to minister regularly (1-6) The ark was set in its place, and offerings were presented. David blessed the people and sent them home with cake. David then appointed Levitical leaders to organize the regular worship of God before the ark, in roles and duties that persisted for many generations. The worship of God is to be a regular event, not only occasionally. 2. Give praise to the LORD (7-22) In these verses the Chronicler takes snippets of many of David's psalms to show there is ample reason to give praise to God regularly. When we look to him, take time to meditate on who he is and what he has done, the praise topics are endless! God has proved himself faithful to his covenant, beginning from Abraham and his family, down to us today. Let's take time to remember and praise our God.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your faithfulness to us through the new covenant in Jesus' blood. Help me remember to thank and praise you each day.

One Word: Praise and thank the Lord regularly