1 Chronicles 29:20
Then David said to the whole assembly, "Blessed be the LORD your God." So the whole assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers. They bowed down and paid homage to the LORD and to the king.
Then David said to the whole assembly,

David addressed Israel’s leaders, tribal representatives, military commanders, and gathered people at the close of his reign. The assembly witnessed the orderly transfer of the kingdom to Solomon and the public acknowledgment that Israel belonged to the LORD.

1Ch 13:2 And he said to the whole assembly of Israel,…
1Ch 28:2 It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place…

“Bless the LORD your God.”

David directed the nation’s attention away from human achievement and toward the covenant God who had preserved Israel, established David’s house, and provided for the temple. Israel’s worship rested on grateful recognition of the LORD’s sovereign faithfulness.

Deu 8:10 When you eat and are satisfied, bless the LORD your God…
Neh 9:5 Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah…

So the whole assembly blessed the LORD,

The united response showed that the people received David’s charge and joined in public worship. Corporate praise affirmed Israel’s shared covenant identity and prepared the nation to support Solomon’s God-given responsibility.

2Ch 20:26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah…
1Ch 16:36 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,…

the God of their fathers.

The LORD was the same God who called Abraham, confirmed His promises to Isaac and Jacob, delivered Israel from Egypt, and brought the tribes into the promised land. Israel’s future under Solomon stood upon God’s unchanging covenant faithfulness.

2Ch 20:6 O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is…
Ezr 7:27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers,…
Exo 3:15 God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites,…

They bowed down and paid homage to the LORD and to the king.

The people offered worship to the LORD and appropriate royal submission to David as God’s appointed ruler. David’s kingship pointed beyond itself to the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ, whose reign unites perfect divine authority with righteous kingship.

Psa 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel…
2Ch 7:3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down…
1Ki 1:31 Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king…

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The King of Israel who led the people in worship and preparation for the building of the Temple. He is a central figure in this passage, demonstrating leadership in worship.

2. The Whole Assembly
The gathered people of Israel who participated in the act of blessing and worshiping the LORD, showing unity and collective reverence.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The God of Israel, who is the focus of worship and blessing in this passage. The use of "LORD" in all caps signifies the covenant name of God, Yahweh.

4. The God of their Fathers
This phrase emphasizes the continuity of faith and the covenant relationship between God and the ancestors of Israel, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

5. The King
Refers to David, who is also honored by the people, indicating respect for his God-given authority and leadership.
Teaching Points
Leadership in Worship
David's role as a leader in worship highlights the importance of godly leadership in guiding others to honor God. Leaders today should model reverence and devotion.

Corporate Worship
The collective action of the assembly underscores the power and significance of corporate worship. Believers are encouraged to gather and worship together, strengthening community and faith.

Continuity of Faith
The reference to "the God of their fathers" reminds us of the importance of passing down faith through generations. We are called to teach and uphold the faith traditions of our spiritual ancestors.

Reverence and Homage
The act of bowing down signifies deep respect and submission to God's authority. In our lives, we should regularly practice humility and reverence before God.

Respect for Authority
The homage paid to the king reflects a biblical principle of respecting God-ordained authority. Christians are called to honor and pray for their leaders.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's leadership in worship challenge or inspire you in your own role within your community or family?

2. In what ways can you participate more fully in corporate worship, and why is it important for your spiritual growth?

3. How can you ensure that the faith and values of your spiritual ancestors are passed down to future generations?

4. What are some practical ways you can demonstrate reverence and submission to God in your daily life?

5. How can you show respect for authority in your life, and what biblical principles guide your actions in this area?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 6:13
This verse emphasizes the importance of fearing the LORD and serving Him only, which is reflected in the assembly's act of worship and homage.

Psalm 95:6
This Psalm calls for worship and bowing down before the LORD, our Maker, similar to the actions of the assembly in 1 Chronicles 29:20.

Philippians 2:10-11
The New Testament speaks of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing Jesus Christ as Lord, paralleling the homage paid to the LORD in this passage.
National and Individual ThanksgivingRichard Jones, B. A.1 Chronicles 29:20
The Duty of PraiseA. Roberts, M. A.1 Chronicles 29:20
WorshipJ.R. Thomson 1 Chronicles 29:20
All Strength is from GodD. Macleod.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
David's ThanksgivingJ. Wolfendale.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
David's ThanksgivingD. Clarkson.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
Divine OwnershipHomilist1 Chronicles 29:10-20
God's Supreme Dominion and Universal AuthorityR. Shittler.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Agency of God in Human GreatnessJ. Erskine, D. D.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Divine Greatness and BeneficenceJ. Johnson Cort, M. A.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Kingdom of GodW. Jay, M. A.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Last ThanksgivingJ. Wolfendale.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Lord is the Owner of All Things1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Nature of True GreatnessJohn Proudfit, D. D.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Reciprocal Influence of Mind Upon Mind in WorshipAnon.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
Rejoicing Before GodW. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 29:10-22
David's Prayer and BlessingF. Whitfield 1 Chronicles 29:10-24
People
David, Gad, Isaac, Jehiel, Jesse, Nathan, Ophir, Samuel, Solomon, Zadok
Places
Hebron, Jerusalem, Ophir
Topics
Assembly, Bent, Bless, Blessed, Bow, Bowed, Congregation, David, Fathers, Fell, Heads, Homage, Low, Obeisance, Praise, Praised, Prostrate, Prostrated, Themselves, Worshiped, Worshipped, Worshipping
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Chronicles 29:20

     5138   bowing
     5174   prostration

Library
The Waves of Time
'The times that went over him.'--1 CHRON. xxix. 30. This is a fragment from the chronicler's close of his life of King David. He is referring in it to other written authorities in which there are fuller particulars concerning his hero; and he says, 'the acts of David the King, first and last, behold they are written in the book of Samuel the seer ... with all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over all Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.' Now I have ventured
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

That we Ought to Offer Ourselves and all that is Ours to God, and to Pray for All
The Voice of the Disciple Lord, all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine.(1) I desire to offer myself up unto thee as a freewill offering, and to continue Thine for ever. Lord, in the uprightness of mine heart I willingly offer(2) myself to Thee to-day to be Thy servant for ever, in humble submission and for a sacrifice of perpetual praise. Receive me with this holy Communion of Thy precious Body, which I celebrate before Thee this day in the presence of the Angels invisibly surrounding,
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The History Books
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Assyrian idol-god] Thus little by little the Book of God grew, and the people He had chosen to be its guardians took their place among the nations. A small place it was from one point of view! A narrow strip of land, but unique in its position as one of the highways of the world, on which a few tribes were banded together. All around great empires watched them with eager eyes; the powerful kings of Assyria, Egypt, and Babylonia, the learned Greeks, and, in later times,
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

Concerning Salutations and Recreations, &C.
Concerning Salutations and Recreations, &c. [1273] Seeing the chief end of all religion is to redeem men from the spirit and vain conversation of this world and to lead into inward communion with God, before whom if we fear always we are accounted happy; therefore all the vain customs and habits thereof, both in word and deed, are to be rejected and forsaken by those who come to this fear; such as taking off the hat to a man, the bowings and cringings of the body, and such other salutations of that
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

Enoch, the Deathless
BY REV. W. J. TOWNSEND, D.D. Enoch was the bright particular star of the patriarchal epoch. His record is short, but eloquent. It is crowded into a few words, but every word, when placed under examination, expands indefinitely. Every virtue may be read into them; every eulogium possible to a human character shines from them. He was a devout man, a fearless preacher of righteousness, an intimate friend of God, and the only man of his dispensation who did not see death. He sheds a lustre on the
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

The Exile --Continued.
We have one psalm which the title connects with the beginning of David's stay at Adullam,--the thirty-fourth. The supposition that it dates from that period throws great force into many parts of it, and gives a unity to what is else apparently fragmentary and disconnected. Unlike those already considered, which were pure soliloquies, this is full of exhortation and counsel, as would naturally be the case if it were written when friends and followers began to gather to his standard. It reads like
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

Covenanting a Duty.
The exercise of Covenanting with God is enjoined by Him as the Supreme Moral Governor of all. That his Covenant should be acceded to, by men in every age and condition, is ordained as a law, sanctioned by his high authority,--recorded in his law of perpetual moral obligation on men, as a statute decreed by him, and in virtue of his underived sovereignty, promulgated by his command. "He hath commanded his covenant for ever."[171] The exercise is inculcated according to the will of God, as King and
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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