Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

The Ark Brought to the Temple^(A)

² Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark^(B) of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. ³ And all the Israelites^(C) came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month.

⁴ When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, ⁵ and they brought up the ark and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The Levitical priests^(D) carried them up; ⁶ and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

⁷ The priests then brought the ark^(E) of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. ⁸ The cherubim^(F) spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles. ⁹ These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. ¹⁰ There was nothing in the ark except^(G) the two tablets^(H) that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

¹¹ The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.^{(I) 12} All the Levites who were musicians^(J)—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.^{(K) 13} The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:

Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud,^{(M) 14} and the priests could not perform^(N) their service because of the cloud,^(O) for the glory^(P) of the Lord filled the temple of God.

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(A) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(B) then to those in Jerusalem^(C) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(D) I preached that they should repent^(E) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^{(F) 21} That is why some Jews seized me^(G) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.^{(H) 22} But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen^(I)— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer^(J) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(K) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(L)

²⁴ At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(M) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(N) is driving you insane.”

²⁵ “I am not insane, most excellent^(O) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶ The king is familiar with these things,^(P) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”^(Q)

²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(R)