1 Chronicles 16 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

A.M. 2962. B.C. 1042.

David's sacrifices and alms, 1 Chronicles 16:1-3. He appoints Levites to minister before the ark, 1 Chronicles 16:4-6. His psalm of thanksgiving, 1 Chronicles 16:7-36. Ministers and others are appointed to attend the ark continually, 1 Chronicles 16:37-43.

So they brought back the ark of God For these three verses, see notes on 2 Samuel 6:17-19. A flagon of wine A draught of wine. Hiller and Waterland.

To record, and to thank and praise the Lord, &c. To rehearse and declare unto the people the wonderful works God had done for Israel, and to give him thanks for them, and to extol his almighty goodness and his glorious perfections. All our rejoicings should express themselves in thanksgivings to him from whom all our comforts are received.

Then David delivered first this psalm, &c. Or, as Houbigant renders it, On that same day David delivered this psalm, that Asaph and his brethren might praise the Lord by it That is, on the day in which David appointed the Levites to sing before God, he gave them the song or hymn which follows. There is, however, nothing in the Hebrew for psalm. And the translation of the LXX. is perfectly accurate, save that they have rendered נתן, he gave, by εταξε, he appointed. It is, Then, in that day David appointed at first (εν αρχη, in the beginning) to praise the Lord, by the hand of Asaph and his brethren. The Hebrew expression, בראשׁ, barosh, at first, or in the beginning, seems to imply that David, after this, delivered many other psalms successively into their hands to be sung by them to the praise of God in his public service: see 2 Samuel 23:1; 2 Chronicles 29:30. The reader will find some explanatory observations on the following verses, Psalms 96. and 105., in which they occur with little or no variation, all but the three last verses of the Psalm.

Deliver us from the heathen This might seem an improper and unseasonable prayer for David's time, when the Israelites were not scattered among the heathen, but indeed it was not so: 1st, Because they had already been sadly divided by a civil war among themselves; and though they were now externally and visibly united under David, yet he might justly think that there were some who yet retained in their hearts their old leaven, their hatred of him, and their affection to Saul, which might hereafter break forth when occasion was offered, as it did, 2 Samuel 16:8; and therefore he justly prays that they might be gathered and united together in hearty love, as well as in outward show; and, 2d, Because this psalm or prayer was made by David for the use of the church, not only in that present time, but in future ages, in which David foresaw, by the spirit of prophecy, the Israelites would forsake God, and for their apostacy be dispersed among the heathen. In the midst of our praises, we must not forget to pray for those servants of God that are in distress. When we are rejoicing in God's favours, we should remember our afflicted brethren, and pray for their deliverance as our own. We are members one of another.

He left there before the ark Asaph and his brethren He appointed them their work and station there. Indeed, no incense was burned there, nor sacrifices offered, because the altars were not there; but David's prayers were directed as incense, and the lifting up of his hands as an evening sacrifice. So early did spiritual worship take the place of ceremonial.

Zadok the priest Not the high-priest, but the second, and the chief priest at Gibeon, where the tabernacle and altar made by Moses still were, where also the ordinary sacrifices were offered, and the stated worship of God was performed, as the extraordinary worship was before the ark upon great occasions, as when God was consulted, which was to be done before the ark, and by the high-priest, who now was Abiathar, and who therefore abode with the ark, when Zadok was left at Gibeon.

Which he commanded Israel These must be kept up, because, however in their own nature they were inferior to prayer and praise, yet, as they were types of the mediation of Christ, the observance of them was of mighty importance.

With musical instruments of God Appropriated to the worship of God; 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 kept up.