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16 They brought in God’s ark, and set it in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in Yahweh’s name. He gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. He appointed some of the Levites to minister before Yahweh’s ark, and to commemorate, to thank, and to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud; with Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to Yahweh, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

Oh give thanks to Yahweh.
    Call on his name.
    Make what he has done known among the peoples.
Sing to him.
    Sing praises to him.
    Tell of all his marvelous works.
10 Glory in his holy name.
    Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.
11 Seek Yahweh and his strength.
    Seek his face forever more.
12 Remember his marvelous works that he has done,
    his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
13 you offspring[a] of Israel his servant,
    you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
14 He is Yahweh our God.
    His judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
    the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,
16     the covenant which he made with Abraham,
    his oath to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
    and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
18 saying, “I will give you the land of Canaan,
    The lot of your inheritance,”
19     when you were but a few men in number,
    yes, very few, and foreigners in it.
20 They went about from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people.
21 He allowed no man to do them wrong.
    Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,
22 “Don’t touch my anointed ones!
    Do my prophets no harm!”
23 Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
    Display his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
    and his marvelous works among all the peoples.
25 For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised.
    He also is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
    but Yahweh made the heavens.
27 Honor and majesty are before him.
    Strength and gladness are in his place.
28 Ascribe to Yahweh, you relatives of the peoples,
    ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength!
29 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name.
    Bring an offering, and come before him.
    Worship Yahweh in holy array.
30 Tremble before him, all the earth.
    The world also is established that it can’t be moved.
31 Let the heavens be glad,
    and let the earth rejoice!
    Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!”
32 Let the sea roar, and its fullness!
    Let the field exult, and all that is in it!
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
34 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
35 Say, “Save us, God of our salvation!
    Gather us together and deliver us from the nations,
    to give thanks to your holy name,
    to triumph in your praise.”
36 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting even to everlasting.

All the people said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh.

37 So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required; 38 and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers; 39 and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before Yahweh’s tabernacle in the high place that was at Gibeon, 40 to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in Yahweh’s law, which he commanded to Israel; 41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his loving kindness endures forever; 42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate. 43 All the people departed, each man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.

Footnotes

  1. 16:13 or, seed

16 They brought the Ark of God and placed it inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord. Then he gave to every man and woman in all Israel a loaf of bread, a cake of dates,[a] and a cake of raisins.

David appointed the following Levites to lead the people in worship before the Ark of the Lord—to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. Asaph, the leader of this group, sounded the cymbals. Second to him was Zechariah, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They played the harps and lyres. The priests, Benaiah and Jahaziel, played the trumpets regularly before the Ark of God’s Covenant.

David’s Song of Praise

On that day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the Lord:

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
    Let the whole world know what he has done.
Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
    Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
10 Exult in his holy name;
    rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
11 Search for the Lord and for his strength;
    continually seek him.
12 Remember the wonders he has performed,
    his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
13 you children of his servant Israel,
    you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He is the Lord our God.
    His justice is seen throughout the land.
15 Remember his covenant forever—
    the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
16 This is the covenant he made with Abraham
    and the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
    and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
18 “I will give you the land of Canaan
    as your special possession.”

19 He said this when you were few in number,
    a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
20 They wandered from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
21 Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
    He warned kings on their behalf:
22 “Do not touch my chosen people,
    and do not hurt my prophets.”

23 Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
    Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
24 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
    Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
25 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
    He is to be feared above all gods.
26 The gods of other nations are mere idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens!
27 Honor and majesty surround him;
    strength and joy fill his dwelling.

28 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,
    recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
29 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
    Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
30     Let all the earth tremble before him.
    The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
    Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
    Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
33 Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he is coming to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.
35 Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
    Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
    and rejoice and praise you.”

36 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who lives from everlasting to everlasting!

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

Worship at Jerusalem and Gibeon

37 David arranged for Asaph and his fellow Levites to serve regularly before the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, doing whatever needed to be done each day. 38 This group included Obed-edom (son of Jeduthun), Hosah, and sixty-eight other Levites as gatekeepers.

39 Meanwhile, David stationed Zadok the priest and his fellow priests at the Tabernacle of the Lord at the place of worship in Gibeon, where they continued to minister before the Lord. 40 They sacrificed the regular burnt offerings to the Lord each morning and evening on the altar set aside for that purpose, obeying everything written in the Law of the Lord, as he had commanded Israel. 41 David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and the others chosen by name to give thanks to the Lord, for “his faithful love endures forever.” 42 They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God.[b] And the sons of Jeduthun were appointed as gatekeepers.

43 Then all the people returned to their homes, and David turned and went home to bless his own family.

Footnotes

  1. 16:3 Or a portion of meat. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  2. 16:42 Or to accompany the sacred music; or to accompany singing to God.