1 Chronicles 16:34

Context

1 Chronicles 16 describes how David placed the Ark of the Covenant inside the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. David appointed Asaph and his brothers 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 combines material from 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 concludes 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 choir during the communal worship that accompanied the installation of the ark. The phrase "for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever" is a set formula repeated throughout 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, on occasions such as the dedication of the temple, the march into 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. Proponents point to the petition in verse 35, "deliver us from the heathen," 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 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, the same refrain is translated differently, as inja-hasim ("lovingkindness") in this verse and jabi-hasim ("mercy") in 2 Chronicles 5:13.
• The circumstances of thanksgiving: Because the verse leads directly into the plea for deliverance in the next verse, some read it as thanksgiving offered not only in times of prosperity but also in the midst of hardship.

In the Korean Church

The verse is frequently quoted in Thanksgiving and Wheat Harvest Thanksgiving services, as well as in sermons and prayers on the theme of gratitude, often alongside 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