📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 16:31
What does 1 Chronicles 16:31 mean?
"Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!”"
— 1 Chronicles 16:31 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Ascribe to Yahweh, you relatives of the peoples, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength!
Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship Yahweh in holy array.
Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can’t be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!”
Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it!
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
Explanation
1 Chronicles 16:31 says, in plain terms, that all of creation—the heavens above and the earth below—should erupt in gladness and joy because of one central truth: the Lord reigns. The verse calls not just Israel but "the nations," meaning all peoples everywhere, to declare this same message. It is a summons to worship rooted in the recognition that God's rule is not confined to one people or place but extends over the entire universe and every nation within it.
This verse comes from a song of thanksgiving that David composed and appointed to be sung when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem and placed in the tent David had prepared for it (1 Chronicles 16:1-7). This was a monumental moment in Israel's history—the ark, representing God's presence, was finally settled in the city that would become the center of worship. David assigned this psalm to Asaph and his fellow Levites to sing before the ark continually. The song itself is a mosaic drawn largely from portions of Psalms 105, 96, and 106, and it moves through remembrance of God's covenant faithfulness, praise for His wondrous works, and a call for all creation to worship Him. Verse 31 sits within this larger hymn of celebration, marking a high point of exuberant praise.
Theologically, the verse expresses the kingship of God over all creation, a theme that runs throughout the Psalms and the Old Testament. To say "Yahweh reigns" is to affirm that history, nature, and the affairs of nations are ultimately under His sovereign control—not the whims of
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.