I Chronicles 16: Let The Psalms Begin!

"Then on that day David first appointed the singing of praises to the Lord by Asaph and his kindred" (vs. 7).

The ushering of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem also introduced the establishment of regular worship through the psalms.  David was musical and a gifted psalmist himself, and he elevated the ritual of worship singing and orchestration to a new level in ancient Israel.  This would become even more central when enshrined in the temple under Solomon's administration.

These were not the first psalms of all, of course.  Some pre-dated David.  For instance, Psalm 90 is a song by Moses.  But something significant certainly happened when David appointed Asaph to his role of worship leader.  There was an explosion of music and verse that became the golden age of psalms.

Verses 8 through 36 then contain many famous expressions and concepts that we find in the psalter, such as:

• "O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples" (vs. 8).
• "Sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Tell of his salvation from day to day" (vs. 23).
• "For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods" (vs. 25).
• "Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength" (vs. 28).
• "O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever (vs. 34)."

What a treasure has been left for us by David and Asaph, and it all started here in I Chronicles 16!