1 Chronicles 16: Lessons From David on the Elements of Spirit-Led Praise For God

 1 Chronicles 16: Lessons From David on the Elements of Spirit-Led Praise For God

Introduction: Upon the return of the ark, David led the Jews in praising God. 

From his example, God reveals seven lessons on Spirit-led praise. 

These include: 

(1) faith in Jesus, 

(2) worship, 

(3) thanksgiving, 

(4) obedience, 

(5) dependence, 

(6) submission, 

and (7) continuity.

First, David began the celebration of the return of the ark with blood sacrifices to atone for the Jews’ sins and to restore fellowship with God. These sacrifices, however, required faith. Today, Spirit-led praise should also include faith and praise for Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. 

Second, David then appointed Levites to lead the Jews in joyful worship. From their example, God reveals that Spirit-led praise for God should include joyful worship. 

Third, David led the Jews in thanksgiving for all God had done for them. From his example, God reveals that praise for Him should include thanksgiving for His faithfulness. 

Fourth, David encouraged the Jews to remember God’s Covenant. Their obedience brought blessings, and their disobedience brought curses. From David’s reminder, God reveals that Spirit-led praise should include obedience. 

Fifth, David gave thanks for God’s protection over His anointed ones. That protection was available anytime the Jews submitted to Him. God also wants your worship to include dependence upon His protection. 

Sixth, David showed his faith by submitting to and praising the Creator of the universe. Your worship should also include submission to and trust in the power of the Creator to do all things. 

Finally, David’s reforms ensured that worship was an ongoing process. Your Spirit-led praise should also be an ongoing process within the Body of Christ.

1. Faith in Jesus: Spirit-Led Praise Begins With Faith in Jesus’ Sacrifice. 1 Chr. 16:1-3.

David leads the Jews in burnt and peace offerings out of gratitude. After celebrating the return of the ark, David placed it in a Tabernacle for worship and used it for its intended purpose to bless God’s people. His dedication of the ark in its new Tabernacle included burnt offerings and peace offerings to atone for the people’s sins and to restore fellowship with God: “1 And they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3 He distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake.” (1 Chr. 16:1-3; 2 Samuel 6:17-18). 

The ark was meant to bring the people into fellowship with God for Him to bless them. Yet, before they could do this, the Jews needed to first restore the sacrificial system that God ordained under Moses. As the King of Israel, this was one of the most important things that David did for God’s people.

Under David’s leadership, the priests offered burnt offerings and peace offerings

• Without faith in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, you cannot receive His atonement. 

The blood sacrifices were necessary to atone for sin.

 ‘“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.”’ (Lev. 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). 

But the Jews had to have faith in the sacrifice for it to have any value. 

In a similar way, you must have faith in Jesus’ sacrifice for His atoning death to cleanse you of your sins. “and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” (John 6:47). 

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36). 

If you believe, give thanks for His sacrifice for you.

• Thank Jesus by seeking fellowship through His Word. 

There are three symbols of God’s fellowship in this account. 

First, David celebrated the return of the ark with a “peace” offering (1 Chr. 16:2; 2 Samuel 6:18). 

The peace offering was a voluntary offering that symbolized a life of fellowship with God (Lev. Chapter 3). 

Second, the contents of the ark included a golden jar with some of the manna that rained down from heaven for 40 years to sustain the Jews in the wilderness (Hebrews 9:4; Exodus 16:32-34). 

This symbolized Jesus’ provision and His fellowship. He was the bread of life that rained down on the Jews in the wilderness: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” (John 6:48-51). 

He is also the Word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14). 

Third, within the Tent of Meeting near the ark, God commanded that the Jews keep 12 holy loaves of bread (Exodus 25:23-30). 

The purpose of the bread was to show God’s desire for fellowship with His people by allowing them to symbolically dine with Him. 

Dining together was considered in Jewish culture to be an intimate act of friendship. 

Jesus also offers to “dine” with any person who opens the door of their heart to Him (Revelation 3:20). 

His bread was meant for you to eat in communion with Him (Revelation 1:6; 5:10). 

Are you consuming the bread of life to stay in communion with Jesus?

• Provide for God’s people. 

David gave bread to all the people (1 Chr. 16:7; 2 Samuel 6:19). 

As symbolized by the 12 loaves, Jesus promises to feed everyone who seeks after Him (Matthew 6:25-34). 

These instructions also symbolically apply to all of God’s believers (1 Peter 2:5, 9). 

Like the bread that God offered to all His tribes, He wants you to provide for those in need. 

Today, Jesus’ “food” is doing God’s will: “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.’” (John 4:34). 

Serving God by helping others is also one part of “undefiled religion”. (James 1:27). 

Does your worship include helping others? 

Or, are you only feeding yourself?

• Use God’s blessings to bless others. 

David also used the ark for its intended purpose to bless others: “Then all the people departed each to his house, and David returned to bless his household.” (1 Chr. 16:43).

Most of the great leaders of the Bible gave blessings to their people. 

For example, with Noah’s final recorded words, he blessed and gave prophetic words for his children (Genesis 9:24-27). 

At a time when Isaac incorrectly thought that he was about to die, he sought to bless his eldest son Esau. Yet, he was tricked into giving that blessing to Jacob (Genesis 27:34-41). 

At the end of his life, Jacob blessed and gave prophetic words to each of his 12 sons (Genesis 49). 

At Moses’ prompting, Aaron blessed the people in God’s name (Numbers 6:22-27). 

In Moses’ final words, he blessed the 12 tribes of Israel in God’s name (Deuteronomy 33:1). 

Solomon also blessed the people after he dedicated the Temple: “Then the king faced about and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.” (1 Kings 8:14, 55). 

Jesus also promised a blessing with His final words: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). 

Apostle Paul also offered a prayer of blessings to others (2 Corinthians 13:14). 

Today, a blessing at the end of a church service is called a prayer of “benediction.” 

You should also be looking for ways to bless others. 

Believers should also pray for God to bless others. 

Your goal should never be to condemn a sinner. 

That is what Satan does as the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). 

Instead, your goal should be to restore the person who has sinned: “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restores such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1). 

When was the last time that you prayed for God to bless someone else outside of your immediate family?

2. Worship: Spirit-Led Praise to God Should Include Joyful Worship. 1 Chr. 16:4-6.

• David appoints worship leaders to lead the Jews in worship. 

David also selected leaders to lead the Jews in worship: “4 He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel: 5Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, with musical instruments, harps, lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.” (1 Chr. 16:4-6). 

Within the three clans of Levi, each had an important worship leader or leader of a temple choir. 

Within the clan of Kohath, this was Heman (1 Chr. 6:33-38). 

Within the clan of Gershon, this was Asaph (1 Chr. 6:39-43). 

Within the clan of Merari, this was Ethan (1 Chr. 6:44-47). 

These three leaders appointed persons as worship leaders, singers, musicians, and possibly dancers (1 Chr. 15:16-24; 16:4-43; 25:1). 

Everyone has a role in worship.

Under David’s leadership, the Levites led 

the Jews in worship

• Worship is important for your relationship with God. 

Worship plays an important role in preparing your heart to receive the Word. 

David understood the importance of worship. 

Thus, he “spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.” (1 Chr. 15:16). 

“The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites also, with the instruments of music to the LORD, which King David had made for giving praise to the LORD—‘for His lovingkindness is everlasting’ -- whenever he gave praise by their means, while the priests on the other side blew trumpets; and all Israel was standing.”’ (2 Chr. 7:6). 

He had four thousand Levites assigned to perform worship services (1 Chr. 16:31; 23:5).

• Be filled with joyful worship. 

Worship can also bring you joy and prepare your heart to praise God: “Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say, ‘All my springs of joy are in you.’” (Psalm 87:7; 126:2; Job 8:21; Psalm 51:14). 

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15). 

Is there joy in your worship?

• Dancing can also be a part of worship. 

Dancing was also meant to be part of worship (Psalm 30:11). 

When God delivered the Jews from Pharaoh’s army, Miriam included both song and dance as part of her celebration (Exodus 15:20-21). 

Solomon also wrote that there is a time for celebration that includes dancing (Ecclesiastes 3:4). 

God gave us the rhythm to dance to worship Him. 

Thus, in heaven, our songs of praise will likely be accompanied by dancing. 

Sadly, Satan has corrupted most forms of dance.

• Give thanks for your redemption that Jesus made possible. 

The priests also blew trumpets of silver: “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out.” (Numbers 10:2). 

Silver was a sign of redemption. 

For example, silver shekels foreshadow the ransom price that Jesus paid as a ransom for our broken vows before God (Matthew 26:14-16). 

Trumpets will also herald Jesus’ return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

Your worship should include gratitude for your redemption that Jesus made possible.

3. Thanksgiving: Praise Includes Thanksgiving for God’s Faithfulness. 1 Chr. 16:7-13.

• David prepares a psalm of thanksgiving. 

After leading the Jews in restoring the sacrifices and worship celebrations that God ordained, David then led the Jews in a psalm of thanksgiving for God’s mighty and faithful words: “7 Then on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord. 8 Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. 9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders. 10 Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. 11 Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually. 12 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth, 13 O seed of Israel His servant, sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!” (1 Chr. 16:7-13). 

David’s psalm had several components. 

This part celebrated God’s faithfulness and His mighty works. 

God made a covenant with the Jews through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

God proved Himself faithful to always keep His Word.

David led the Jews in giving thanks to God