Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

11 Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.

12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

13 O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;

16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;

17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;

19 When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.

20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,

22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

23 Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.

24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.

25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.

28 Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.

33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth.

34 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.

36 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord.

37 So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required:

38 And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:

39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,

40 To offer burnt offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel;

41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever;

42 And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.

43 And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

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At that time David began the custom of using choirs in the Tabernacle to sing thanksgiving to the Lord. Asaph was the director of this choral group of priests.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord and pray to him,” they sang.

“Tell the peoples of the world

About his mighty doings.

Sing to him; yes, sing his praises

And tell of his marvelous works.

10 Glory in his holy name;

Let all rejoice who seek the Lord.

11 Seek the Lord; yes, seek his strength

And seek his face untiringly.

12-13 O descendants of his servant Abraham,

O chosen sons of Jacob,

Remember his mighty miracles

And his marvelous miracles

And his authority:

14 He is the Lord our God!

His authority is seen throughout the earth.

15 Remember his covenant forever—

The words he commanded

To a thousand generations:

16 His agreement with Abraham,

And his oath to Isaac,

17 And his confirmation to Jacob.

He promised Israel

With an everlasting promise:

18 ‘I will give you the land of Canaan

As your inheritance.’

19 When Israel was few in number—oh, so few—

And merely strangers in the Promised Land;

20 When they wandered from country to country,

From one kingdom to another—

21 God didn’t let anyone harm them.

Even kings were killed who sought to hurt them.

22 ‘Don’t harm my chosen people,’ he declared.

‘These are my prophets—touch them not.’

23 Sing to the Lord, O Earth,

Declare each day that he is the one who saves!

24 Show his glory to the nations!

Tell everyone about his miracles.

25 For the Lord is great and should be highly praised;

He is to be held in awe above all gods.

26 The other so-called gods are demons,

But the Lord made the heavens.

27 Majesty and honor march before him,

Strength and gladness walk beside him.

28 O people of all nations of the earth,

Ascribe great strength and glory to his name!

29 Yes, ascribe to the Lord

The glory due his name!

Bring an offering and come before him;

Worship the Lord when clothed with holiness!

30 Tremble before him, all the earth!

The world stands unmoved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, the earth rejoice;

Let all the nations say, ‘It is the Lord who reigns.’

32 Let the vast seas roar,

Let the countryside and everything in it rejoice!

33 Let the trees in the woods sing for joy before the Lord,

For he comes to judge the earth.

34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

His love and his kindness go on forever.

35 Cry out to him, ‘Oh, save us, God of our salvation;

Bring us safely back from among the nations.

Then we will thank your holy name,

And triumph in your praise.’

36 Blessed be Jehovah, God of Israel,

Forever and forevermore.”

And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

37 David arranged for Asaph and his fellow Levites to minister regularly at the Tabernacle,[a] doing each day whatever needed to be done. 38 This group included Obed-edom (the son of Jeduthun), Hosah, and sixty-eight of their colleagues as guards.

39 Meanwhile the old Tabernacle of the Lord on the hill of Gibeon continued to be active. David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests to minister to the Lord there. 40 They sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord each morning and evening upon the altar set aside for that purpose, just as the Lord had commanded Israel. 41 David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and several others who were chosen by name to give thanks to the Lord for his constant love and mercy. 42 They used their trumpets and cymbals to accompany the singers with loud praises to God. And Jeduthun’s sons were appointed as guards.

43 At last the celebration ended and the people returned to their homes, and David returned to bless his own household.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 16:37 at the Tabernacle, literally, “before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.”