And he appointed certain of the Levites. — Literally, put, placed (Genesis 3:12).
To minister. — Literally, ministering — i.e., as ministers. The object of the appointment is defined by the words which follow: “both to remind, and to thank, and to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel.” Each verb expresses a distinct kind of duty in the service of song.
To record is the technical term for chanting the psalms which accompanied the sacrificial burning of the Azkârâh, that is, the part of the meat offering that was presented on the altar (Leviticus 2:2). (Comp. the use of the cognate verb in the titles of Psalms 38, 70)
To thank was to perform psalms of invocation, and confession of benefits received.
To praise was to sing and play hymns of hallelujah such as Psalms 146-150.
These Levites were to minister thus before the Ark in the sacred tent of Mount Zion.