1 Chronicles 16:27, 33 - Joy like a Tree
(1 Chronicles 16:27 ESV) Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.
(1 Chronicles 16:33 ESV) Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
As an outdoor camping girl, my first read of these verses brings JOY to my soul as I relate to the splendor and majesty and strength seen in the trees of the forest. Yes! Can I go there now?
Looking at the entire story to summarize for context, 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 is David's song of thanks after the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem, as the Levites lead worship before the Ark celebrating God's greatness, faithfulness, and reign over all creation.
In verses 27 and 33, and surrounding verses, David calls for all nations to declare God’s glory by honoring Him as Creator and King.
Splendor and majesty are before God as seen in His creation, like the trees! Strength and joy are in His place. I ponder where "His place" is and think about God being omnipresent; that is, being everywhere. God is both present in His creation on earth and in heaven. He is always near. Both strength and gladness are there for me when I am near God, who is everywhere! Joy is found in God's presence!
Luke 19:40 says, "He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Jesus responds to Pharisees who want Him to silence the disciples praising Him during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. I marvel that rocks can praise God without a voice box. When we be who God created us to be, we praise and honor God. Even a created rock that just sits there doing what rocks were created to do is praising God! I love that thought.
Let's all go sit on a big slab of rock in the great outdoors, gently put a hand down on the hard surface next to us, while telling the rock, "thanks rock for being here praising God." Or go hug a tree and tell it "thanks tree for being here praising God."
Isaiah 55:12, “For you shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
All of nature rejoices and praises God! The rocks, mountains, hills, trees, and forest all praise God by just being what they were created to be!
Obviously trees do not have voices or hands! But their branches sway, leaves rustle, colors change, and they stand firmly rooted reaching upward, just as they were created to do.
As I stand in the forest and feel peace, I see nature rejoicing because His judgment means restoration and setting things right. Take a deep breath and exhale joy along with God's creation! I have joy like the trees! What a fantabulous thought!
Please pray with me. Thanks God that I can have joy like the trees! Thanks for the trees and nature that bring me so much joy. Thanks for restoring Your creation back to before sin. Amen.
January 14, 2026
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Just a note: David's "Song of Thanks" found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 is a compilation of verses from various Psalms, including Psalm 105:1-15, Psalm 96:1-13, and Psalm 106:1, 47-48.
In verse 27, the word JOY is in the ESV, but the word GLADNESS is in the KJV and that is the version I am using to look up the concordance. H2304 חֶדְוָה chedvâh, ḥeḏvâ, pronounced khed-vaw, joy, gladness, rejoicing.
In verse 33, the word for "SING FOR JOY" in the ESV is "SING OUT" in the KJV. H7442 רָנַן rânan, pronounced raw-nan', to creak (or emit a stridulous sound), i.e. to shout (usually for joy): aloud for joy, cry out, be joyful (greatly, make to) rejoice, (cause to) shout (for joy), (cause to) sing (aloud, for joy, out), triumph.