In chapter after chapter in 1 Chronicles we read about them praising the Lord.

Praise the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord. Those are commands. Paul exhorts us to rejoice always and to give thanks always and to pray without ceasing. God should always be on our hearts and minds.

The chief man appointed to sing thanksgiving to the Lord is Asaph, author of a dozen psalms in our Bibles.

God didn’t put in His law that requirement of thanksgiving.

David is appointing these thankers and praisers, singers and musicians. Thankfulness needs to spring up from the heart. It needs to be given freely.

God made us to be able to choose to love Him. He doesn’t ask for feigned thankfulness. But He joyfully receives our freewill thank offerings.

David sings a song to the Lord, the phrases from which you can see scattered throughout the Psalms. Then he returns home to bless His family.

Praising the Lord and remembering His enduring goodness made David realize he wanted to pass that on; he needed to pass that on.

Bless the Lord; then bless your family.

This chapter is a celebration. This isn’t a required duty, though assigned to the few Levites in the tabernacle.

They are having a celebration. There is food, music, dancing. They are celebrating before the Lord.

Let those around you see you celebrate the Lord! Let your family see you celebrate his goodness!

David’s song includes some of its own commands such as make known His deeds among the peoples, tell of all His wonderous works, declare His glory among the nations.

Our praise is supposed to be heard. It’s supposed to go out, to be contagious. It’s supposed to teach others about the greatness of our God. Oh, give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever! Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

It’s a way to let your light shine before men, a way to shine God’s light before men. Go forth in praise!