Historical
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. 2 After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 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. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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)
7 On that very day, David composed this psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord just for[b] Asaph and his companions:[c]
8 Give thanks to the Lord,
calling on his name.
Make what he has done known among the people.
9 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.
God Establishes His Covenant with David(C)
17 After David had settled down to live in his palace, he[s] spoke with the prophet Nathan. “Look, here I am living in this[t] cedar palace, but the ark of the Lord’s covenant remains surrounded by curtains!”
2 “Do everything you have in mind,”[u] Nathan replied to David, “because God is with you.”
3 But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from God:
4 “Go tell David, my servant, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘“You won’t be building a house[v] for me to inhabit, will you? 5 After all, I haven’t lived in a house from the day I brought out Israel until today. Instead, I’ve lived from tent to tent and from one place to another.[w] 6 Wherever I’ve moved within all of Israel, did I ever ask even one judge of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar house?’”’
7 “Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David:
‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief[x] over my people Israel.
8 “‘“Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make your reputation[y] great, like the reputation[z] of the great ones who have lived on[aa] earth. 9 I will establish a homeland[ab] for my people Israel, planting them in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people[ac] will not oppress them as happened in the past, 10 during the time I had commanded judges to administer[ad] my people Israel. I’ll also grant you deliverance from all your enemies.
“‘“I’m also announcing to you that the Lord also will himself build a house[ae] for you. 11 It will come about that when your life[af] is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring[ag] after you, who is related to one of[ah] your sons, and I will fortify his kingdom. 12 He will build a temple dedicated to me, and I will make his throne last forever. 13 I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me. I will never remove my gracious love from him as I did from the one who preceded you. 14 I will confirm him in my Temple and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will remain secure forever.”’”
15 Using precisely these words, Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David.
David’s Prayer(D)
16 Then King David went in, sat down in the presence of the Lord, and said:
“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my household,[ai] since you have brought me to this? 17 Furthermore, this is a small thing to you, God, and yet you have spoken concerning your servant’s household for a great while to come, and you have seen in me the fulfillment[aj] of man’s purpose, Lord God.
18 “What more can David say to you about how you are honoring your servant, and you surely know your servant. 19 Lord, for the sake of your servant, and consistent with your heart, you have done all of these great things and are now making these[ak] great things known.
20 “Lord, there is no one like you, and we have heard from no god other than you. 21 What other one nation on the earth is like your people Israel, God, which you have redeemed from slavery to become your own people, making a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You did awesome miraculous deeds, driving out nations that stood in their way. 22 You took[al] your people Israel to be your very own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
23 “And now, Lord, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done forever—and let it be done just as you’ve promised. 24 May your name be made great and honored forever: The Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, is God for Israel, and may the family of David your servant stand before you forever.
25 “Because of you, my God, I have been bold to pray to you, as you have told your servant that you will build him a dynasty. 26 And now, Lord, you are God, and you have promised all of these good things to your servant. 27 Furthermore, it has pleased you to bless the dynasty of your servant, so that it will continue in place forever in your presence, because when you, Lord, grant a blessing, it is an eternal blessing.”
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