1 Chronicles 16:31 (ASV)

Passage

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.

Nearby Context

1 Chronicles 16:29 Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name: Bring an offering, and come before him: Worship Jehovah in holy array.

1 Chronicles 16:30 Tremble before him, all the earth: The world also is established that it cannot be moved.

1 Chronicles 16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.

1 Chronicles 16:32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult, and all that is therein;

1 Chronicles 16:33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before Jehovah; For he cometh to judge the earth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heavens", "glad", "earth", "rejoice", "nations", "jehovah", and "reigneth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heavens" and "glad", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 30's "Tremble before him all the earth The..." into verse 32's "Let the sea roar and the fulness...", so "heavens" and "glad" belong inside that flow. In 1 Chronicles context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "heavens" and "glad" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.