1 Chronicles 16
EasyEnglish Bible
The people worship the Lord
16 David had put up a special tent for God's Covenant Box, so they took it there. They put it in its place inside the tent. Then they offered burnt offerings and friendship offerings to God. 2 After David had offered those sacrifices, he prayed that the Lord would bless the people. 3 Then he gave a gift to every Israelite man and woman. Each person received a loaf of bread, some dates and some raisins.
4 Then David chose some Levites to serve the Lord at the Covenant Box. They would lead prayers and songs to thank the Lord, Israel's God, and to praise him. 5 Asaph was the leader of that group and Zechariah was the second leader. Then there were Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. Those men made music with harps and lyres. Asaph used the cymbals. 6 The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel would make a noise with trumpets in front of God's Covenant Box many times each day.
A song to thank God[a]
7 On that day, David first told Asaph and the other Levites to sing this song to thank the Lord:
8 Thank the Lord!
Make his name famous!
Tell people in all the nations what he has done.
9 Sing songs and make music
to praise him!
Tell people about the miracles that he has done.
10 Boast about his holy name.
Everybody who wants to worship the Lord should be very happy!
11 Ask the Lord to help you!
Ask him to give you strength.
Always try to be near him
and worship him.
12 Remember the great things that he has done.
Remember his miracles,
and the commands that he has spoken.
13 You are the descendants of God's servant, Israel.
You are Jacob's descendants,
and God has chosen you to be his people.
14 He is the Lord our God.
He rules the whole earth with justice.
15 Always remember the covenant that he has made with us.
He made that promise to continue for ever.
16 That is the promise that he made to Abraham,
and that he also made to Isaac.
17 He repeated it to Jacob as a law.
It was a covenant with Israel's people
that would continue for ever.
18 He promised, ‘I will give the land of Canaan to you.
It will belong to you and to your descendants.’
19 At one time, God's people were only a few.
They lived in Canaan as strangers.
20 They travelled among different nations
and different kingdoms.
21 But the Lord did not let anyone hurt them.
He punished kings,
to keep his people safe.
22 He said, ‘Do not even touch the people that I have chosen to be mine.
Do not hurt my prophets.’
23 Sing to the Lord, all the world.
Every day, tell people the message that he has rescued us.
24 Tell the other nations that he is very great.
Tell all of them about the great things that he has done.
25 Yes, the Lord is great!
Everyone should praise him, as he deserves.
People should respect him with fear,
more than all other gods.
26 All the other nations' gods are useless idols.
But the Lord made the heavens.
27 We see that he is a very great king.
Strength and joy are in his home.
28 You people of other nations,
recognize that the Lord is great and powerful.
29 Agree that the Lord's name is great.
Bring a gift to offer to him in his temple.
Worship the Lord,
who is beautiful and holy.
30 Everyone on earth must shake with fear in front of him.
He has fixed the world in its place,
so that nothing can shake it.
31 The earth and the sky should be happy!
The people of all nations should say,
‘The Lord rules as king!’
32 The sea and everything in it should shout aloud!
The fields and all their crops should shout with joy!
33 Then all the trees in the forests will also sing,
because they are so happy.
They will be happy because the Lord is coming
to judge the earth.
34 Thank the Lord, because he is good.
His faithful love will always be with us.
35 Say to him, ‘God, you are the one who rescues us!
Please save us now!
Bring us safely home from among the other nations.
Then we will thank you!
We will shout aloud to praise your holy name.’
36 Praise the Lord, Israel's God,
as he deserves!
Praise him now and for ever!
Then all the people said, ‘Amen! We agree! Praise the Lord!’
37 King David had chosen Asaph and his relatives to serve the Lord at the Covenant Box. They must do that each day, as the rules said that they should do. 38 They included Obed-Edom and 68 men from his clan. Jeduthun's son, Obed-Edom and Hosah were guards at the entrance of the tent.
39 Zadok and the other priests served the Lord at the tabernacle in Gibeon. That was still the place where the Israelites worshipped God. 40 Their job was to offer burnt offerings as sacrifices to the Lord on the big altar there. They did that every morning and every evening, as the law of the Lord commanded. The Israelites had to obey that law. 41 Heman and Jeduthun were with them at the tabernacle in Gibeon. There were also other Levites that David had chosen to help them. Their special job was to give thanks to the Lord with songs, because his faithful love continues for ever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun also had authority for the trumpets, the cymbals and the other musical instruments. The musicians used them to praise God with their music. Jeduthun's sons stood as guards at the entrance of the tabernacle.
43 After that, all the people left to return to their homes. David also went home to ask God to bless his family.
Footnotes
- 16:7 Parts of this song are in Psalms 105; 96; 106.
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