1 Chronicles 16:34
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.”
King James Version (KJV)
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This line concludes the body of David's thanksgiving song in 1 Chronicles 16, sung when the ark was installed in Jerusalem. The same refrain recurs at the dedication of Solomon's temple and throughout the Psalter, becoming a signature of Israel's corporate worship. The chronicler highlights it to call the post-exilic community back to grateful praise.
What Does 1 Chronicles 16:34 Mean?
This is one of the great refrains of the Bible: give thanks to the Lord because He is good, and because His mercy lasts forever. David sang it as the ark came home to Jerusalem, and generations afterward repeated it in temple worship. The command is short and the reasons are even shorter, yet they contain everything. Gratitude here is not based on circumstances that come and go but on who God is and how He treats His people.
The verse gives two anchors for thanksgiving. First, "he is good" -- goodness is not merely something God does, it is what He is in His very character. Second, "his mercy endureth for ever." The word translated mercy points to God's steadfast, covenant-keeping love, the loyal kindness that refuses to let go. And it "endureth for ever" -- it does not run out, expire, or depend on our performance. Because both of these are permanently true, thanksgiving is always appropriate, even on hard days. This refrain became so beloved that Israel sang it at the laying of the temple foundation and in countless psalms. It teaches us that the deepest praise rises not from changing feelings but from settled confidence in a God whose goodness and love have no end.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew "yadah" (give thanks) means to confess, acknowledge, and praise. "Tov" (good) describes God's intrinsic character, and "chesed" (mercy) is His steadfast, covenant-keeping love that never fails.
Cross References
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
- Psalm 136:1
“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
- Psalm 100:5
“It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”
- Lamentations 3:22
Application
Anchor your gratitude in God's unchanging character rather than your shifting circumstances. When thankfulness feels hard, return to these two facts: God is good, and His love never ends. Let that refrain become a habit you can sing on the brightest and the darkest days.