This passage is interposed by the writer of Chronicles between two sentences of the parallel passage in Samuel. It contains a detailed account of the service which David instituted at this time, a service out of which grew the more elaborate service of the temple. The language of much of the passage is remarkably archaic, and there can be no reasonable doubt that it is in the main an extract from a record of the time of David.

And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord,.... By singing the praises of God:

and to record; or bring to remembrance; to commemorate in a song the great and good things God had done for Israel as a people:

and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel; for all his benefits, and the blessings of his goodness bestowed on them.

When the solemnity of the transfer of the ark, the sacrificial meal, and the dismissal of the people with a blessing, and a distribution of food, were ended, David set in order the service of the Levites in the holy tent on Zion. He appointed before the ark, from among the Levites, servants to praise and celebrate God, i.e., singers and players to sing psalms as a part of the regular worship. להזכּיר, literally, "in order to bring into remembrance," is not to praise in general, but is to be interpreted according to the להזכּיר in the superscription of Psalm 38 and Psalm 70:1-5, by which these psalms are designated as the appointed prayers at the presentation of the Azcarah of the meat-offering (Leviticus 2:2). הזכּיר accordingly is a denom. from אזכּרה, to present the Azcarah (cf. Del. on Psalm 38:1), and is in our verse to be understood of the recital of these prayer-songs with musical accompaniment. הודות, to confess, refers to the psalms in which invocation and acknowledgment of the name of the Lord predominates, and הלּל to those in which praise (Hallelujah) is the prominent feature. In 1 Chronicles 16:5 and 1 Chronicles 16:6 there follow the names of the Levites appointed for this purpose, who have all been already mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15:19-21 as accompanying the ark in its transmission; but all who are there spoken of are not included in our list here. Of the chief singers only Asaph is mentioned, Heman and Ethan being omitted; of the singers and players of the second rank, only nine; six of the eight nebel-players (1 Chronicles 15:20. יעיאל is a transcriber's error for יעזיאל, 1 Chronicles 15:18), and only three of the six kinnor-players; while instead of seven trumpet-blowing priests only two are named, viz., Benaiah, one of those seven, and Jehaziel, whose name does not occur in 1 Chronicles 15:24.

And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to {b} record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

(b) That is, God's benefits to his people.

16:4 To thank, and praise - All our rejoicings should express themselves in thanksgivings to him, from whom all our comforts are received.

Margin record

See titles of Psalms 38 and 70.

4-6. he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord-No sooner was the ark deposited in its tent than the Levites, who were to officiate in the choirs before it, entered upon their duties. A select number of the musicians were chosen for the service from the list (1Ch 15:19-21) of those who had taken a prominent part in the recent procession. The same arrangement was to be observed in their duties, now that the ark again was stationary; Asaph, with his associates, composing the first or principal company, played with cymbals; Zechariah and his colleagues, with whom were conjoined Jeiel and Obed-edom, forming the second company, used harps and similar instruments.

16:1-6 Though God's word and ordinances may be clouded and eclipsed for a time, they shall shine out of obscurity. This was but a tent, a humble dwelling, yet this was the tabernacle which David, in his psalms, often speaks of with so much affection. David showed himself generous to his subjects, as he had found God gracious to him. Those whose hearts are enlarged with holy joy, should show it by being open-handed.