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The Ark is Placed in the Tent(A)

16 They brought the Ark of God, placed it within the tent that David had erected, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings in the presence of God. After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord and distributed a loaf of bread, a date bar, and a raisin bar to every person in Israel—that is, to each man and to each woman. In the presence of the ark of the Lord, he appointed some of the descendants of Levi to minister continually by remembering,[a] giving thanks, and praising the Lord God of Israel. Their director Asaph played cymbals, and next to him was Zechariah, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who played harps and lyres. The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel played the trumpets continually in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant of God.

David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving(B)

On that very day, David composed this psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord just for[b] Asaph and his companions:[c]

Give thanks to the Lord,
    calling on his name.
        Make what he has done known among the people.
Sing to him,
    sing psalms to him,
        and think[d] about all of his miraculous deeds.
10 Find joy in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who keep on seeking the Lord rejoice.
11 Seek the Lord and his strength.
    Always look to him.[e]
12 Keep remembering the awesome deeds that he has done,
    along with his miracles
        and the rulings that he has handed down,
13 you descendants of his servant Israel,
    you descendants of Jacob,
        the ones he has chosen.

14 He is the Lord our God.
    His justice is in all of the land.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
    his promise that he made to the thousandth generation,
16 the covenant[f] that he made with Abraham,
    and the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob in the form of an ordinance,
    an eternal covenant to Israel,
18 when he told Israel,
    “To you I will give the land of Canaan
        as your joyful inheritance.”[g]

19 When you were few in number—
    very few, and strangers at that—
20 wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another,
21 he did not let anyone wrong them.
    He warned kings on their behalf,
22 “Don’t touch my chosen ones,
    and don’t hurt my prophets!”

23 Let all the earth sing to the Lord!
    Day after day proclaim his deliverance![h]
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
    and his miraculous deeds to all people,
25 because the Lord is great,
    and he is praised greatly!
        He is feared above every god.
26 For all of the gods of the other[i] nations are mere[j] idols,
    but the Lord fashioned the heavens!
27 Splendor and majesty surround him,
    and strength and joy fill his palace.[k]

28 Let the families of earth recognize the Lord
    that he is glorious and powerful.
29 Recognize the glory that is due the Lord!
    Bring your offering,
and come into his presence,
    worshiping the Lord in all of his holy splendor.
30 Tremble in his presence, all the earth!
    Surely the inhabited world[l] stands firm—
        it cannot be moved.

31 Let the heavens rejoice,
    and the earth be glad!
Say to the nations,
    “The Lord reigns!”
32 Let the sea roar
    along with everything that fills it!
Let the fields exult,
    along with everything in them!
33 Then let the trees in the forest sing out in praise,
    for the Lord is coming to judge the world.

34 Give thanks to the Lord,
    because he is good
        and because his gracious love is eternal!
35 Call out,[m] “Save us, God, you who delivers us!
    Gather us and rescue us from the nations!”
We will thank your holy name
    and rejoice as we praise you!
36 Praise the Lord God of Israel,
    who lives from eternity to eternity!

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

David Establishes Regular Worship

37 Later David[n] left the presence of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord so Asaph and his fellow descendants of Levi could serve the ark there continually each day, doing whatever was required. 38 Obed-edom and 68 of his relatives remained also, with Jeduthun’s son Obed-edom and Hosah serving as trustees.[o] 39 He left Zadok the priest and his relatives at the Tent of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon, where they ministered in the Lord’s presence, 40 sacrificing the regular burnt offerings regularly each morning and evening to the Lord on the altar dedicated to that purpose, doing everything written in the Law of the Lord, just as he had commanded Israel.

41 David[p] also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and others chosen by name to give thanks to the Lord, because “his gracious love is eternal.”[q] 42 They accompanied their songs of praise to God with trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments while Jeduthun’s children served as trustees.[r] 43 After this, everyone left for their own homes and David went home to bless his own household.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 16:4 Lit. invoking; i.e. to speak to God in light of his past works
  2. 1 Chronicles 16:7 Lit. Lord in the hand of
  3. 1 Chronicles 16:7 Lit. brothers; i.e. his fellow descendants of Levi
  4. 1 Chronicles 16:9 Or and talk
  5. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Lit. to his face
  6. 1 Chronicles 16:16 The Heb. lacks the covenant
  7. 1 Chronicles 16:18 Or your special portion
  8. 1 Chronicles 16:23 Or day preach his salvation
  9. 1 Chronicles 16:26 The Heb. lacks other
  10. 1 Chronicles 16:26 The Heb. lacks mere
  11. 1 Chronicles 16:27 Lit. place
  12. 1 Chronicles 16:30 Or the inhabitants of the world
  13. 1 Chronicles 16:35 Lit. Say
  14. 1 Chronicles 16:37 Lit. he
  15. 1 Chronicles 16:38 Or gatekeepers
  16. 1 Chronicles 16:41 Lit. He
  17. 1 Chronicles 16:41 Cf. v.34
  18. 1 Chronicles 16:42 Or gatekeepers

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