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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 Elohim’s presence. When David had finished sacrificing burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh. 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 Yahweh’s ark by offering prayers, thanks, and praise to Yahweh Elohim 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 Elohim’s promise. For the first time David entrusted Asaph and his relatives with the task of singing songs of thanks to Yahweh:

“Give thanks to Yahweh.
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 Yahweh rejoice.
11 Search for Yahweh 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 Yahweh our Elohim.
    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 Yahweh, all the earth!
    Day after day announce that Yahweh saves his people.
24 Tell people about his glory.
    Tell all the nations about his miracles.

25 Yahweh 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.
Yahweh made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are in his presence.
Strength and joy are where he is.

28 “Give to Yahweh, you families of the nations.
Give to Yahweh glory and power.
29 Give to Yahweh the glory his name deserves.
    Bring an offering, and come to him.
        Worship Yahweh 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, ‘Yahweh 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 Yahweh when he comes to judge the earth.

34 “Give thanks to Yahweh because he is good,
    because his mercy endures forever.
35 Say, ‘Rescue us, O Elohim 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 Yahweh Elohim of Israel
    from everlasting to everlasting.”

Then all the people said amen and praised Yahweh.

37 David left Asaph and his relatives to serve continually in front of the ark of Yahweh’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 Yahweh’s tent at the place of worship in Gibeon. 40 They were ordered to sacrifice burnt offerings to Yahweh. This happened on the altar of burnt offerings continually, morning and evening, as written in Yahweh’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 Yahweh 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. 1 Chronicles 16:15 Or “covenant.”

16 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.

And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.

And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel:

Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;

Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

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.