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

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

And he distributed 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 Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord and to celebrate [by calling to mind], thanking and praising the Lord, the God of Israel:

Asaph was the chief, next to him Zechariah, Jeiel (Jaaziel), Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, and Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals;

Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

Then on that day David first entrusted to Asaph and his brethren the singing of thanks to the Lord [as their chief task]:

O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His doings among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His wondrous works and devoutly praise them!

10 Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

11 Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!

12 [Earnestly] remember the marvelous deeds which He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered [as in Egypt],

13 O you offspring of [Abraham and] of Israel His servants, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

14 He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

15 Be mindful of His covenant forever, the promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations,

16 The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His sworn promise to Isaac.

17 He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,(A)

18 Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan, the measured portion of your possession and inheritance.

19 When they were but few, even a very few, and only temporary residents and strangers in it,

20 When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people,

21 He allowed no man to do them wrong; yes, He reproved kings for their sakes,(B)

22 Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.(C)

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation.

24 Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples.

25 For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods.

26 For all the gods of the people are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

27 Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength,

29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array.

30 Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth’s peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigns!

32 Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; let the fields rejoice, and all that is in them.

33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge and govern the earth.

34 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

35 And say, Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise.

36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, forever and ever! And all the people said Amen! and praised the Lord.

37 So David left Asaph and his brethren before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark continually, as each day’s work required,

38 And Obed-edom with [his] sixty-eight kinsmen. Also Obed-edom son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, were to be gatekeepers.

39 And David left 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 to the Lord upon the altar of burnt offering continually, morning and evening, and to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord which He commanded Israel.

41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.

42 With them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and instruments for accompanying the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were to be at the gate.

43 Then all the people departed, each man to his house, and David returned home to bless his household.

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