Add parallel Print Page Options

16 The men carrying the ark set it inside the tent David had put up for it. They presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God’s presence. When David had finished sacrificing burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. He also distributed to every person in Israel—both men and women—a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

The Levites Lead the Worship in Jerusalem(A)

David appointed some Levites to serve in front of the Lord’s ark by offering prayers, thanks, and praise to the Lord God of Israel. Asaph was the head; Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel with harps and lyres. Asaph played the cymbals. The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel played trumpets all the time in front of the ark of God’s promise. For the first time David entrusted Asaph and his relatives with the task of singing songs of thanks to the Lord:

“Give thanks to the Lord.
Call on his name.
Make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him.
Make music to praise him.
Meditate on all the miracles he has done.
10 Brag about his holy name.
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Search for the Lord and his strength.
Always seek his presence.
12 Remember the miracles he performed,
the amazing things he did and the judgments he pronounced,
13 you descendants of Israel, his servant,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 “He is the Lord our God.
His judgments are pronounced throughout the earth.
15 Remember his promise [a] forever,
the word that he commanded for a thousand generations,
16 the promise that he made to Abraham,
and his sworn promise to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it as a law for Jacob,
as an everlasting promise to Israel,
18 by saying, ‘I will give you Canaan.
It is your share of the inheritance.’

19 “While they were few in number,
a small group of foreigners living in that land,
20 they wandered from nation to nation
and from one kingdom to another.
21 He didn’t permit anyone to oppress them.
He warned kings about them:
22 ‘Do not touch my anointed ones
or harm my prophets.’

23 “Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Day after day announce that the Lord saves his people.
24 Tell people about his glory.
Tell all the nations about his miracles.

25 “The Lord is great!
He should be highly praised.
He should be feared more than all ⌞other⌟ gods
26 because all the gods of the nations are idols.
The Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are in his presence.
Strength and joy are where he is.

28 “Give to the Lord, you families of the nations.
Give to the Lord glory and power.
29 Give to the Lord the glory his name deserves.
Bring an offering, and come to him.
Worship the Lord in ⌞his⌟ holy splendor.
30 Tremble in his presence, all the earth!

“The earth stands firm; it cannot be moved.
31 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad.
Say to the nations, ‘The Lord rules as king!’
32 Let the sea and everything in it roar like thunder.
Let the fields and everything in them rejoice.
33 Then the trees in the forest will sing with joy
in the presence of the Lord when he comes to judge the earth.

34 “Give thanks to the Lord because he is good,
because his mercy endures forever.
35 Say, ‘Rescue us, O God our Savior.
Gather us and save us from the nations
so that we may give thanks to your holy name
and make your praise our glory.’
36 Thanks be to the Lord God of Israel
from everlasting to everlasting.”

Then all the people said amen and praised the Lord.

37 David left Asaph and his relatives to serve continually in front of the ark of the Lord’s promise, as the daily work required. 38 David also left Obed Edom and 68 of his relatives ⌞to serve there⌟. Obed Edom (Jeduthun’s son) and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. 39 David left Zadok and his priestly relatives to serve in the Lord’s tent at the place of worship in Gibeon. 40 They were ordered to sacrifice burnt offerings to the Lord. This happened on the altar of burnt offerings continually, morning and evening, as written in the Lord’s Teachings that he gave Israel. 41 With Zadok and his relatives were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of the Levites who had been selected, chosen by name, to give thanks to the Lord ⌞by singing,⌟ “His mercy endures forever.” 42 Also, Heman and Jeduthun played trumpets, cymbals, and the ⌞other⌟ musical instruments that accompany sacred songs. Jeduthun’s sons were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people went home. David went back to bless his family.

Footnotes

  1. 16:15 Or “covenant.”

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