It was a big deal when the ark finally arrived in Jerusalem and was installed in the tent that had been prepared for it. Immediately, David appointed some of the Levites to keep the music going! Led by Asaph, the band and choir would regularly lift up songs of praise before the ark for years to come (v 1-7). But what relevance would this joyful celebration have for the original readers of 1 Chronicles 16? The writer is obviously enthusiastic about Israelite worship in the days of David. This ark was electric in holiness and rich with blessing; no wonder it deserved the best praise music David could organize. But the Chronicler is preaching the glories of the ark to people who no longer possess it. For years, the tangible reminders of that great period of Israel’s kingship had been slipping from their grasp. Having returned from exile, they built another temple, but it was a disappointing replacement for the original. And the ark had never been recovered. “It’s wonderful that our ancestors had such a great privilege,” they might have said. “But we don’t have the ark, so how can we honor it? How can we experience the joy they knew?” In answer to that question, we might have picked up a clue at the end of the previous chapter. Four times in five verses this special piece of furniture was called “the ark of the covenant” (15:25-29; also 16:6). In the present chapter, the covenant God made with Israel is mentioned three times (16:15-17), and the meaning of the covenant is the theme of the entire song (v 8-36). Needless to say, the ark itself was not being worshiped. The ministry of the Levites was “to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel” (v 4). This is Yahweh, who loves His people and took the initiative to bless them. Three different Psalms are quoted (96, 105, 106) to celebrate His amazing works and words. In the end, the LORD’s greatness and worth lead the worshipers to take hold of this covenant relationship for themselves: “Save us, O God of our salvation”—that we may “glory in Your praise” (v 35). The important thing about the ark is not the object, but the truth it stands for. As the chapter closes, David leaves Asaph the worship leader “before the ark of the covenant in Jerusalem,” and he leaves Zadok the priest “before the tabernacle of the LORD in Gibeon” (v 37-43). So even in David’s time, the ark was not always found where the sacrifices were offered. The ark is a symbol of God’s grace, and the altar is a symbol of man’s response (faith). The grace of God can be received by faith at any time, in any place. God’s grace is not bound to its symbol. Ark or no ark, Yahweh pours out grace upon His people. For further meditation: