1 Chronicles 16:37-43--Worship Before the Ark

1 Chronicles 16:37-43
English Standard Version

Worship Before the Ark
37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, 38 and also Obed-edom and his sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. 39 And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon 40 to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the LORD that he commanded Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

​43 Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.

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We have gotten a fuller view of who Asaph is now before reading the "Psalms of Asaph" in the book of Psalms.  He was the leader of the musicians that always offered praise before the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem.  Obed-edom was also there--the Levite who had let the Ark stay in his house.  He and those he oversaw were gatekeepers (security detail) for the Ark of the Covenant, as it was just in a tent there in the city of Jerusalem.  It was not in the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle protected by all the priests and other Levites.

Zadok the high priest and all the other priests continued to minister at the Tabernacle in Gibeon. There they offered the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings and guilt offerings and all the other required offerings that were made on the Bronze Altar and they also burned the incense that was to be offered on the Golden Altar of Incense.  They also put out and ate the consecrated bread on a weekly basis, and in doing all these things, they constantly made atonement for themselves and the people of Israel.  They also taught the people everything that the LORD had commanded of them in the Law.

With the priests at Gibeon where those who were chosen to given thanks to the LORD day and night while all the sacrifices were being offered because, "His steadfast love endures forever."  These men made a sacrifice of praise through the use of trumpets and cymbals and lyres and I'm sure there were those who sang along with them as they offered these hymns of praise to the LORD from the book of Psalms.

There were also gatekeepers appointed to guard the Tabernacle.  After all the festivities and appointments had been made, each person departed for his or her own house, and David also went home to his household where he blessed them.  We'll see a similar pattern when Solomon finally builds and dedicates the Temple in 2 Chronicles not long from now.​