1 Chronicles 16:4-37

New International Version

⁴He appointed some of the Levites to minister^(A) before the ark of the Lord, to extol,^[a] thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: ⁵Asaph 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, ⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise^(B) to the Lord in this manner:

⁸Give praise^(C) to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations^(D) what he has done.
⁹Sing to him, sing praise^(E) to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
¹⁰Glory in his holy name;^(F)
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
¹¹Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek^(G) his face always.

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

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

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

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

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

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

³¹Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;^(AD)
    let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!^(AE)”
³²Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;^(AF)
    let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
³³Let the trees^(AG) of the forest sing,
    let them sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he comes to judge^(AH) the earth.

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

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

³⁷David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.^(AN)

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Footnotes

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

1 Chronicles 23:5

New International Version

⁵Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments^(A) I have provided for that purpose.”^(B)

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1 Chronicles 23:5 in all English translations

1 Chronicles 25:1-7

New International Version

The Musicians

25 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph,^(A) Heman^(B) and Jeduthun^(C) for the ministry of prophesying,^(D) accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.^(E) Here is the list of the men^(F) who performed this service:^(G)

²From the sons of Asaph:

Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.

³As for Jeduthun, from his sons:^(H)

Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,^[a] Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp^(I) in thanking and praising the Lord.

⁴As for Heman, from his sons:

Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth. ⁵(All these were sons of Heman the king’s seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.)

⁶All these men were under the supervision of their father^(J) for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God.

Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman^(K) were under the supervision of the king.^(L) ⁷Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord—they numbered 288.

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