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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 1 Chronicles 16:7 - 16:7
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On that day David first committed it to Asaph and his sons to give thanks to Jahve. נָתַן is to be connected with בְּיַד, which is separated from it by several words, and denotes to hand over to, here to commit to, to enjoin upon, since that which David committed to Asaph was the carrying out of a business which he enjoined, not an object which may be given into the hand. הַהוּא בַּיֹּום is accented by אָז. בָּרֹאשׁ, “at the beginning,” “at first,” to bring out the fact that liturgical singing was then first introduced. אֶחָיו, the brethren of Asaph, are the Levites appointed to the same duty, whose names are given in 1Ch 16:5, 1Ch 16:6. But in order to give a more exact description of the לַיהוה הֹודֹות committed to Asaph in vv. 8-36, a song of thanks and praise is given, which the Levites were to sing as part of the service with instrumental accompaniment. It is not expressly said that this song was composed by David for this purpose; but if Asaph with his singers was to perform the service committed to him, he must have been provided with the songs of praise (psalms) which were necessary for this purpose; and if David were in any way the founder of the liturgical psalmody, he, as a richly endowed psalm-singer, would doubtless compose the necessary liturgical psalms. These considerations render it very probable that the following psalm was a hymn composed by David for the liturgical song in the public worship. The psalm is as follows: -
8 Give thanks unto Jahve; preach His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples:
9 Sing to Him, play to Him;
Meditate upon all His wondrous works.
10 Glory ye in His holy name:
Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
11 Seek ye the Lord, and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
12 Remember His wonders which He has done;
His wondrous works, and the judgments of His mouth;
13 O seed of Israel, His servants,
Sons of Jacob, His chosen.
14 He, Jahve, is our God;
His judgments go forth over all the earth.
15 Remember eternally His covenant,
The word which He commanded to a thousand generations:
16 Which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac;
17 And caused it to stand to Jacob for a law,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant;
18 Saying, “To thee I give the land Canaan,
As the heritage meted out to you.”
19 When ye were still a people to be numbered,
Very few, and strangers therein,
20 And they wandered from nation to nation,
From one kingdom to another people,
21 He suffered no man to oppress them,
And reproved kings for their sake:
22 “Touch not mine anointed ones,
And do my prophets no harm.”
23 Sing unto Jahve, all the lands;
Show forth from day to day His salvation.
24 Declare His glory among the heathen,
Among all people His wondrous works.
25 For great is Jahve, and greatly to be praised;
And to be feared is He above all the gods.
26 For all the gods of the people are idols;
And Jahve has made the heavens.
27 Majesty and splendour is before Him;
Strength and joy are in His place.
28 Give unto Jahve, ye kindreds of the people,
Give unto Jahve glory and strength.
29 Give unto Jahve the honour of His name:
Bring an offering, and come before His presence;
Worship the Lord in the holy ornaments.
30 Tremble before Him, all the lands;
Then will the earth stand fast unshaking.
31 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice;
And they will say among the heathen, Jahve is King.
32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
Let the field exult, and all that is thereon.
33 Then shall the trees of the wood rejoice
Before the Lord; for He comes to judge the earth.
34 Give thanks unto Jahve, for He is good;
For His mercy endureth for ever.
35 And say, “Save us, God of our salvation:”
And gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen,
To give thanks to Thy holy name,
To glory in Thy praise.
36 Blessed be Jahve, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
And all the people said Amen, and praised Jahve.