Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.
The verse was part of a psalm given to be sung when the ark was brought to Jerusalem. It was spoken when the ark had been brought up from the house of Obed-edom, as an exhortation to faithfulness and constancy in prayer, to seek the Lord and His strength and to seek His face continually. It is Hebrew poetry, not prose, so its fervor of poetic diction and figurative expression must not be construed literally nor severely rendered as prose.
The passage containing it, 1 Chronicles 16:8-22, reproduces the first fifteen verses of Psalm 105 almost word for word. That same passage is also found as Psalm 105:1-6. The following passage, 1 Chronicles 16:23-33, is the whole of Psalm 96 with slight variations.
It belongs to Israel's duty to declare Jehovah's glory among the nations so that the Gentiles might be converted. God gave His truth to Israel not for themselves alone but that the whole nation might be His priest to the world by living the law and proclaiming Him. The verse commands people to seek the Lord's presence and strength continually.
Seeking the Lord and His strength is a continual practice. The word translated continually expresses lasting, ongoing devotion and belongs to the constant, living union between God and His people, shown in their faith and service. It shows the continual service that Jehovah prizes from sincere hearts, meaning living in the continual abiding presence of God with His people, with their own spiritual, devoted service responding to His presence and manifesting His life.
God is to be sought continually for His strength and presence in every duty. A person should come to God and not leave until receiving His merciful presence, for without Christ religious observances bring no comfort. It calls for praying, hearing, receiving, and carrying Christ into every part of life, relying on God's strength at the beginning and returning in His presence.
The verse was part of a psalm given to be sung when the ark was brought to Jerusalem. It was spoken when the ark had been brought up from the house of Obed-edom, as an exhortation to faithfulness and constancy in prayer, to seek the Lord and His strength and to seek His face continually. It is Hebrew poetry, not prose, so its fervor of poetic diction and figurative expression must not be construed literally nor severely rendered as prose.
The passage containing it, 1 Chronicles 16:8-22, reproduces the first fifteen verses of Psalm 105 almost word for word. That same passage is also found as Psalm 105:1-6. The following passage, 1 Chronicles 16:23-33, is the whole of Psalm 96 with slight variations.
It belongs to Israel's duty to declare Jehovah's glory among the nations so that the Gentiles might be converted. God gave His truth to Israel not for themselves alone but that the whole nation might be His priest to the world by living the law and proclaiming Him. The verse commands people to seek the Lord's presence and strength continually.
Seeking the Lord and His strength is a continual practice. The word translated continually expresses lasting, ongoing devotion and belongs to the constant, living union between God and His people, shown in their faith and service. It shows the continual service that Jehovah prizes from sincere hearts, meaning living in the continual abiding presence of God with His people, with their own spiritual, devoted service responding to His presence and manifesting His life.
God is to be sought continually for His strength and presence in every duty. A person should come to God and not leave until receiving His merciful presence, for without Christ religious observances bring no comfort. It calls for praying, hearing, receiving, and carrying Christ into every part of life, relying on God's strength at the beginning and returning in His presence.