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16 They brought the Ark of the Covenant of God and put it inside the tent. This was the tent David had set up for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to God. David finished giving the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he used the Lord’s name to bless the people. He gave a loaf of bread, some dates and raisins to every Israelite man and woman.

Then David appointed some of the Levites to serve before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. They had the job of leading the worship. They gave thanks and praise to the Lord, the God of Israel. Asaph was the leader. He played the cymbals. Zechariah was second to him. The other Levites were Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They played the lyres and harps. Benaiah and Jahaziel were priests. They blew the trumpets regularly before the Ark of the Covenant with God. That day David first gave Asaph and his relatives the job of singing praises to the Lord.

David’s Song of Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord and pray to him.
    Tell the nations what he has done.
Sing to him. Sing praises to him.
    Tell about all the wonderful things he has done.
10 Be glad that you are his.
    Let those who ask the Lord for help be happy.
11 Depend on the Lord and his strength.
    Always go to him for help.
12 Remember the wonderful things he has done.
    Remember his miracles and his decisions.
13 You are the descendants of Israel, the Lord’s servant.
    You are the children of Jacob, his chosen people.

14 He is the Lord our God.
    His laws are for all the world.
15 He will keep his agreement forever.
    He will keep his promises always.
16 He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham.
    He will keep the promise he made to Isaac.
17 The Lord made it a law for the people of Jacob.
    He made it an agreement with Israel to last forever.
18 The Lord said, “I will give you the land of Canaan. The promised land will belong to you.”

19 Then God’s people were few in number.
    They were strangers in the land.
20 They went from one nation to another.
    They went from one kingdom to another.
21 But the Lord did not let anyone hurt them.
    He warned kings not to harm them.
22 He said, “Don’t hurt my chosen people.
    Don’t harm my prophets.”

23     Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
    Every day tell how he saves us.
24 Tell the nations about the Lord’s glory.
    Tell all peoples about his wonderful works.
25 The Lord is great; he should be praised.
    He should be honored more than all the gods.
26 All the gods of the nations are only idols.
    But the Lord made the skies.
27 The Lord has glory and majesty.
    He has power and joy in his Temple.

28 Praise the Lord, all nations on earth.
    Praise the Lord’s glory and power.
29     Praise the Lord for the glory of his name.
Bring your offering to him.
    Worship the Lord because he is holy.
30 The whole earth should tremble before the Lord.
    The earth is set, and it cannot be moved.
31 Let the skies rejoice and the earth be glad.
    Let people everywhere say, “The Lord is king!”
32     Let the sea and everything in it shout.
    Let the fields and everything in them show their joy.
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing.
    They will sing with joy before the Lord.
    They will sing because the Lord is coming to judge the world.

34 Thank the Lord because he is good.
    His love continues forever.
35 Say to him, “Save us, God our Savior.
    Bring us back and save us from the nations.
Then we will thank you.
    Then we will gladly praise you.”
36 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    forever and forever.

All the people said, “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

37 Then David left Asaph and the other Levites there in front of the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord. They were to serve there every day. 38 David also left Obed-Edom and 68 other Levites to serve with them. Hosah and Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun were guards.

39 David left Zadok the priest and the other priests who served with him in front of the Tent of the Lord. This was at the place of worship in Gibeon. 40 Every morning and evening they offered burnt offerings on the altar of burnt offerings. They did this to follow the rules written in the Teachings of the Lord. These were the Teachings he had given Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and other Levites. They were chosen by name to sing praises to the Lord because the Lord’s love continues forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun also had the job of playing the trumpets and cymbals. They also played other musical instruments when songs were sung to God. Jeduthun’s sons guarded the gates.

43 Then all the people left. Each person went to his own home. And David also went home to bless his family.

Ministering Before the Ark(A)(B)(C)

16 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched(D) for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed(E) the people in the name of the Lord. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins(F) to each Israelite man and woman.

He appointed some of the Levites to minister(G) before the ark of the Lord, to extol,[a] thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,[b] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise(H) to the Lord in this manner:

Give praise(I) to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations(J) what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise(K) to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;(L)
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek(M) his face always.

12 Remember(N) the wonders(O) he has done,
    his miracles,(P) and the judgments he pronounced,
13 you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
    his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
14 He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments(Q) are in all the earth.

15 He remembers[c](R) his covenant forever,
    the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant(S) he made with Abraham,
    the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob(T) as a decree,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan(U)
    as the portion you will inherit.”

19 When they were but few in number,(V)
    few indeed, and strangers in it,
20 they[d] wandered(W) from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
21 He allowed no one to oppress them;
    for their sake he rebuked kings:(X)
22 “Do not touch my anointed ones;
    do my prophets(Y) no harm.”

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
24 Declare his glory(Z) among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(AA)
    he is to be feared(AB) above all gods.(AC)
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.(AD)
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.(AE)
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;(AF)
    bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his[e] holiness.(AG)
30     Tremble(AH) before him, all the earth!
    The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.(AI)

31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;(AJ)
    let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!(AK)
32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;(AL)
    let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33 Let the trees(AM) of the forest sing,
    let them sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he comes to judge(AN) the earth.

34 Give thanks(AO) to the Lord, for he is good;(AP)
    his love endures forever.(AQ)
35 Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;(AR)
    gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
    and glory in your praise.”
36 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(AS)
    from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

37 David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.(AT) 38 He also left Obed-Edom(AU) and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah,(AV) were gatekeepers.

39 David left Zadok(AW) the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon(AX) 40 to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law(AY) of the Lord, which he had given Israel. 41 With them were Heman(AZ) and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord, “for his love endures forever.” 42 Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song.(BA) The sons of Jeduthun(BB) were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 16:4 Or petition; or invoke
  2. 1 Chronicles 16:5 See 15:18,20; Hebrew Jeiel, possibly another name for Jaaziel.
  3. 1 Chronicles 16:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew Remember
  4. 1 Chronicles 16:20 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 105:12); most Hebrew manuscripts inherit, / 19 though you are but few in number, / few indeed, and strangers in it.” / 20 They
  5. 1 Chronicles 16:29 Or Lord with the splendor of