1 Chronicles 16:34

Context

1 Chronicles 16 describes how David placed the Ark of the Covenant in the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. David appointed Asaph and his brethren from among the Levites to give thanks and praise before the ark (1 Chronicles 16:4-7). A song of thanksgiving follows in verses 8 through 36. It weaves together Psalms 105:1-15, Psalm 96, and Psalm 106:1 and 47-48, and verse 34 is nearly identical to Psalm 106:1. Verse 34 rounds off the preceding praise by calling the congregation to "give thanks unto the LORD." Verse 35 then turns to a petition that God would gather and save his scattered people.

Interpretation

• As a liturgical refrain: This reading treats the verse as a refrain sung by the Levitical singers in the communal worship that accompanied the installation of the ark. The words "for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever" form a fixed formula repeated in Old Testament worship. It appears in 1 Chronicles 16:41, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3, and 20:21, and Ezra 3:11, among other places, at occasions such as the dedication of the temple, the march out to battle, and the laying of the foundation of the Second Temple.
• In light of the Chronicler's theology: Many Old Testament scholars hold that Chronicles was written after the Babylonian exile. From this perspective, Chronicles presents the worship of David's time as a model for the postexilic community to follow. The petition in verse 35, "deliver us from the heathen," is cited as an expression that reflects this setting.
• As a covenantal statement: The Hebrew word hesed, rendered "mercy" in this verse, denotes steadfast love and faithfulness grounded in the covenant. Several Protestant commentary traditions read the verse as grounding thanksgiving not in one's circumstances but in God's character and covenant. Some also connect it with the love of God revealed through Christ in the New Testament.

Questions of Application

The verse is not the subject of significant doctrinal dispute among denominations. Nevertheless, the following questions are discussed:

• Authorship: Traditionally, the song has been read as composed by David and given to Asaph. Critical scholars regard it as a compilation of existing psalms that the Chronicler arranged within the account of David's worship.
• Translation: Translations render hesed variously as "lovingkindness," "mercy," "love," and similar terms. Even within the Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok), the same refrain is rendered differently, as "lovingkindness" in this verse and "mercy" in 2 Chronicles 5:13.
• The circumstances of thanksgiving: Because the verse leads directly into the plea for deliverance in the following verse, some read it as thanksgiving offered not only in times of prosperity but also in the midst of hardship.

In the Korean Church

In Korean Protestant churches, the verse is frequently quoted in Thanksgiving services and in Wheat Harvest Thanksgiving (Maekchu Gamsajeol) services, as well as in sermons and prayers on the theme of gratitude, often together with Psalms 118 and 136, which contain the same refrain.

Related Passages

• Psalm 106:1
• Psalm 136:1
• 2 Chronicles 5:13
• Ezra 3:11
• Jeremiah 33:11