Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.
The verse belongs to the inspiring psalm David gave to be sung when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, where it was received with gladness. It begins a passage also found as the opening of Psalm 105, verses 1-6. The section in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 contains the first fifteen verses of Psalm 105 with slight variations, while 1 Chronicles 16:23-33 contains Psalm 96.
The verse is Hebrew poetry, so figurative expression there must not be construed literally and statements in prose must not be swelled up to the fervor of poetic diction. The chapter is parallel to Psalm 105:8-11, where the covenant includes both God's promise concerning Canaan and the commandments on which the promise is conditioned, with keeping the commandments connected to the promise extending to a thousand generations. The phrase "make known" means proclaiming God's deeds among the people, not necessarily announcing them for the first time, and does not imply that what is made known is newly established.
The verse calls those who receive God's word to give thanks to the Lord and call upon His name in prayer, and to make His deeds known among the people. Making His deeds known means preaching His gospel in deed as well as in word and in life as well as in precept, with the changed life becoming a witness that reveals God to others. God entrusted this work of witness to Israel as the people best fitted to give the gospel the world needed, bestowing on them the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. He placed them in the great highway of nations for this purpose and chose the least of the nations so all could see that God Himself was working instead of man, with the whole nation to act as His priest to the world by living His law and proclaiming Him.
The truth and law given to Israel was not for Israel alone but for the whole world, so that by declaring Jehovah's glory and deeds among the nations the Gentiles might be converted and turn to God, after which one same law binds both Israel and the converted Gentiles. The command is both a blessed duty and a great privilege belonging to everyone assured of present salvation, who have passed from death to life as children of the King, who daily draw living water from the wells of salvation, who are born again with souls delivered from death and who pray to be kept from falling. Their thanksgiving is rejoicing and singing to the Lord, singing songs to Him, talking of all His wonderful works, glorying in His holy name, letting seeking hearts rejoice, and showing His salvation day to day before all the earth, with a new song in the mouth that the lost hear and by which they are led to accept salvation.
The verse belongs to the inspiring psalm David gave to be sung when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, where it was received with gladness. It begins a passage also found as the opening of Psalm 105, verses 1-6. The section in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 contains the first fifteen verses of Psalm 105 with slight variations, while 1 Chronicles 16:23-33 contains Psalm 96.
The verse is Hebrew poetry, so figurative expression there must not be construed literally and statements in prose must not be swelled up to the fervor of poetic diction. The chapter is parallel to Psalm 105:8-11, where the covenant includes both God's promise concerning Canaan and the commandments on which the promise is conditioned, with keeping the commandments connected to the promise extending to a thousand generations. The phrase "make known" means proclaiming God's deeds among the people, not necessarily announcing them for the first time, and does not imply that what is made known is newly established.
The verse calls those who receive God's word to give thanks to the Lord and call upon His name in prayer, and to make His deeds known among the people. Making His deeds known means preaching His gospel in deed as well as in word and in life as well as in precept, with the changed life becoming a witness that reveals God to others. God entrusted this work of witness to Israel as the people best fitted to give the gospel the world needed, bestowing on them the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. He placed them in the great highway of nations for this purpose and chose the least of the nations so all could see that God Himself was working instead of man, with the whole nation to act as His priest to the world by living His law and proclaiming Him.
The truth and law given to Israel was not for Israel alone but for the whole world, so that by declaring Jehovah's glory and deeds among the nations the Gentiles might be converted and turn to God, after which one same law binds both Israel and the converted Gentiles. The command is both a blessed duty and a great privilege belonging to everyone assured of present salvation, who have passed from death to life as children of the King, who daily draw living water from the wells of salvation, who are born again with souls delivered from death and who pray to be kept from falling. Their thanksgiving is rejoicing and singing to the Lord, singing songs to Him, talking of all His wonderful works, glorying in His holy name, letting seeking hearts rejoice, and showing His salvation day to day before all the earth, with a new song in the mouth that the lost hear and by which they are led to accept salvation.