Text -- 1 Chronicles 16:31-43 (NET)

16:31 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy! Let the nations say, ‘The Lord reigns!’ 16:32 Let the sea and everything in it shout! Let the fields and everything in them celebrate! 16:33 Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth! 16:34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures. 16:35 Say this prayer: “Deliver us, O God who delivers us! Gather us! Rescue us from the nations! Then we will give thanks to your holy name, and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.” 16:36 May the Lord God of Israel be praised, in the future and forevermore. Then all the people said, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”

David Appoints Worship Leaders

16:37 David left Asaph and his colleagues there before the ark of the Lord’s covenant to serve before the ark regularly and fulfill each day’s requirements, 16:38 including Obed-Edom and sixty-eight colleagues. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were gatekeepers. 16:39 Zadok the priest and his fellow priests served before the Lord’s tabernacle at the worship center in Gibeon, 16:40 regularly offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar for burnt sacrifice, morning and evening, according to what is prescribed in the law of the Lord which he charged Israel to observe. 16:41 Joining them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. (For his loyal love endures!) 16:42 Heman and Jeduthun were in charge of the music, including the trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments used in praising God. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the entrance. 16:43 Then all the people returned to their homes, and David went to pronounce a blessing on his family.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:31

¹ tn Heb “let them say among the nations.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:34

¹ tn Or “is eternal.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:35

¹ tn The words “this prayer” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.

³ tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:36

¹ tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”

² tn This is the Hebrew term אָמֵן (’amen, “surely”), traditionally transliterated “amen.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:37

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “according to the matter of the day in its day.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:39

¹ tn The word “served” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

² tn Or “high place.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:40

¹ tn Heb “which he commanded Israel.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:41

¹ tn Perhaps this refers to the refrain of their songs of praise (see Ps 136). In this case one could translate, “to give thanks to the Lord with songs using the refrain, ‘For his loyal love endures.’”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:42

¹ tn Heb “and with them, Heman and Jeduthun, trumpets and cymbals for sounding, and the instrument of song of God, and the sons of Jeduthun [were] at the gate.”

NET Notes: 1Ch 16:43

¹ tn Heb “to bless his house.” Elsewhere when “house” is the object of “bless,” it refers to a household or family. See, for example, 1 Chr 13:14; 17:27. However, since בֵּית (bet, “house”) refers to a literal house or home earlier in the verse and to David’s palace in 17:1, one might translate here, “David went to pronounce a blessing on [i.e., dedicate] his house [i.e., palace].”