The Psalm David Delivered
7 Then on that day David first ordained giving of thanks to Yahweh by the hand of Asaph and his brothers. 8 Oh give thanks to Yahweh. Call on his name. Make what he has done known among the peoples. 9 Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works. 10 Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice. 11 Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more. 12 Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth, 13 you offspring of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14 He is Yahweh our God. His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, 16 the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18 saying, “I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,” 19 when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it. 20 They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people. 21 He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22 “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!” 23 Sing to Yahweh, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples. 25 For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens. 27 Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place. 28 Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of the peoples, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength! 29 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship Yahweh in holy array. 30 Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can’t be moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!” 32 Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it! 33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. 34 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. 35 Say, “Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise.” 36 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh.
The song moves from a covenant remembered to the whole earth summoned, and ends on a plea to be gathered home.
The song is given as a document handed over: on that day David first ordained giving of thanks by the hand of Asaph and his brothers 1 Chronicles 16:7. What follows is a text placed into the keeping of a choir.
Its three parts also stand elsewhere in Scripture as parts of three separate psalms Psalms 105:1–15 Psalms 96:1–13 Psalms 106:1 Psalms 106:47–48. Sacred song was evidently reused, recombined and refitted, and the practice is recorded without embarrassment. A psalm was a possession of the congregation rather than of its author.
The first movement is memory. Remember his covenant forever 1 Chronicles 16:15 — made with Abraham, sworn to Isaac, confirmed to Jacob, and concerning a land.
The detail the song chooses to dwell on is the size of the party that received the promise. They were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it 1 Chronicles 16:19, wandering between kingdoms, and God reproved kings for their sakes: don't touch my anointed ones 1 Chronicles 16:21–22. The protection is recalled at the moment of maximum weakness, which is the whole reason the stanza is here.
The second movement turns outward and gets much larger. Sing to Yahweh, all the earth 1 Chronicles 16:23; declare his glory among the nations 1 Chronicles 16:24. A national festival for a national ark produces a song addressed to everyone.
At its center is a single line of argument, and it is an argument from creation. All the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens 1 Chronicles 16:26. The claim is not that Israel's God is stronger than the others. It is that the others did not make anything, and the difference between a maker and a made thing is the entire case.
Then the created world answers. Sea, field and forest are called to roar and exult, and the trees sing for he comes to judge the earth 1 Chronicles 16:33. Judgment arrives here as the reason for the gladness rather than as a threat held against it — the setting right of a world is good news to everything in it that was not the wrongdoer.
The song ends on its only request, and it is not what the occasion would suggest. Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations 1 Chronicles 16:35. Sung on the day the ark came home, that is a prayer with nothing to answer. Read by people who had come back from Babylon to a scattered remnant, it is the sentence in the book they had least need to have explained.
settled What this mark means