1 Chronicles 16:27
Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.
Original Language Analysis
לְפָנָ֔יו
are in his presence
H6440
לְפָנָ֔יו
are in his presence
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
3 of 6
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
Historical Context
Proclaimed when the ark entered Jerusalem (c. 1000 BCE), this verse established temple worship's theological foundation - God's presence brings blessing. The Levites would repeat this daily, reminding Israel that worship's goal is experiencing God's presence, which transforms worshipers.
Questions for Reflection
- Do you consciously seek God's presence to experience His glory, strength, and gladness, or do you settle for religious duty without divine encounter?
- What would it mean to live daily in awareness that God's presence dwells in you through the Spirit?
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Analysis & Commentary
David's psalm declares: 'Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.' This verse pairs four attributes found in God's presence: glory (kavod), honor (hadar), strength (oz), and gladness (chedvah). These qualities aren't abstract but experientially known by those who dwell in God's presence. The parallelism - presence/place - indicates where God dwells, these blessings exist. This anticipates the New Testament reality that believers are God's temple, His dwelling place (1 Corinthians 3:16), and therefore experience these blessings. Christ's presence brings glory, honor, strength, and joy to His people.