Reflections on 1 Chronicles 16

 1 Chronicles 16(Contemporary English Version)

1. They put the sacred chest inside the tent that David had set up for it, then they offered sacrifices to please the LORD and sacrifices to ask his blessing.
   
2. After David had finished, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD
   
3. and gave every person in the crowd a small loaf of bread, some meat, and a handful of raisins.
   
4. David appointed some of the Levites to serve at the sacred chest; they were to play music and sing praises to the LORD God of Israel.
   
5. Asaph was their leader, and Zechariah was his assistant. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and another man named Jeiel were appointed to play small harps and stringed instruments. Asaph himself played the cymbals,
   
6. and the two priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets every day in front of the sacred chest.
   
7. That same day, David instructed Asaph and his relatives for the first time to sing these praises to the LORD:
   
8. Praise the LORD and pray in his name! Tell everyone what he has done.
   
9. Sing praises to the LORD! Tell about his miracles.
   
10. Celebrate and worship his holy name with all your heart.
    
11. Trust the LORD and his mighty power. Worship him always.
    
12. Remember his miracles and all his wonders and his fair decisions.
    
13. You belong to the family of Israel, his servant; you are his chosen ones, the descendants of Jacob.
    
14. The LORD is our God, bringing justice everywhere on earth.
    
15. We must never forget his agreement and his promises, not in thousands of years. *
    
16. God made an eternal promise
    
17. to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
    
18. when he said, "I'll give you the land of Canaan."
    
19. At the time there were only a few of us, and we were homeless.
    
20. We wandered from nation to nation, from one country to another.
    
21. God did not let anyone mistreat our people. Instead he protected us by punishing rulers
    
22. and telling them, "Don't touch my chosen leaders or harm my prophets!"
    
23. Everyone on this earth, sing praises to the LORD. Day after day announce, "The LORD has saved us!"
    
24. Tell every nation on earth, "The LORD is wonderful and does marvelous things!
    
25. The LORD is great and deserves our greatest praise! He is the only God worthy of our worship.
    
26. Other nations worship idols, but the LORD created the heavens.
    
27. Give honor and praise to the LORD, whose power and beauty fill his holy temple."
    
28. Tell everyone of every nation, "Praise the glorious power of the LORD.
    
29. He is wonderful! Praise him and bring an offering into his temple. Worship the LORD, majestic and holy.
    
30. Everyone on earth, now tremble!" The world stands firm, never to be shaken.
    
31. Tell the heavens and the earth to be glad and celebrate! And announce to the nations, "The LORD is King!"
    
32. Command the ocean to roar with all of its creatures and the fields to rejoice with all of their crops.
    
33. Then every tree in the forest will sing joyful songs to the LORD. He is coming to judge all people on earth.
    
34. Praise the LORD because he is good to us, and his love never fails.
    
35. Say to him, "Save us, LORD God! Bring us back from among the nations. Let us celebrate and shout in praise of your holy name.
    
36. LORD God of Israel, you deserve to be praised forever and ever." After David finished, the people shouted, "Amen! Praise the LORD!"
    
37. David chose Asaph and the Levites in his clan to be in charge of the daily worship at the place where the sacred chest was kept.
    
38. Obed-Edom and sixty-eight of his relatives were their assistants, and Hosah and Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun were the guards.
    
39. David also chose Zadok the priest and his relatives who were priests to serve at the LORD's sacred tent at Gibeon.
    
40. They were to offer sacrifices on the altar every morning and evening, just as the LORD had commanded in the Law he gave Israel.
    
41. Heman and Jeduthun were their assistants, as well as the other men who had been chosen to praise the LORD for his never-ending love.
    
42. Heman and Jeduthun were also responsible for blowing the trumpets, and for playing the cymbals and other instruments during worship at the tent. The Levites in Jeduthun's clan were the guards at Gibeon.
    
43. After that, everyone went home, and David went home to his family.

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Once the Ark of the Lord arrived in Jerusalem and was placed in the tent David had pitched to house it, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings were made "in God's presence," which was presumably before the ark which represented His presence. Then David blessed the people and gave each person, both men and women, "a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake." (16:3)

The next part of the ceremonies was the appointment of Levites to carry on worship of God before the ark. These appointments were followed by the singing of a psalm which was a compilation of psalms written by David.

Before sending everyone home, David took care of a few more "housekeeping" assignments to assure maintenance of the two places of worship that were now established in Israel. Verse 39 brings to our attention for the first time the existence of the tabernacle of the Lord which was residing in Gibeon. No mention in scripture is made of it being moved there from Shiloh, but it likely was moved shortly after the ark was lost to the Philistines.

So, besides assigning a High Priest to officiate before the ark in Jerusalem, he assigned a High Priest to the tabernacle in Gibeon. He also appointed Levites to carry on worship in both places.