1 Chronicles 16

Chapter 16

1 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.2 When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

3 Then he gave to every man and woman in all Israel a loaf of bread, a cake of dates,t and a cake of raisins.
4 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.5 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.

6 The priests, Benaiah and Jahaziel, played the trumpets regularly before the Ark of God’s Covenant.

David’s Song of Praise

7 On that day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the LORD:
8 Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.9 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 rustle with praise,
for the LORD 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.t 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.

1 CHRONICLES 16

1 They put the sacred chest inside the tent that David had set up for it, then they offered sacrifices to please the [Lord]t and sacrifices to ask his blessing.t 2 After David had finished, he blessed the people in the name of the [Lord]

3 and gave every person in the crowd a small loaf of bread, some meat, and a handful of raisins.
4 David appointed some of the Levites to serve at the sacred chest; they were to play music and sing praises to the [Lord] God of Israel. 5 Asaph was their leader, and Zechariah was his assistant. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and another man named Jeiel were appointed to play small harps and stringed instruments. Asaph himself played the cymbals,

6 and the two priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets every day in front of the sacred chest.

David's Song of Praise

(Psalms 105.1-15; 96.1-13; 106.1,47, 48)

7 That same day, David instructed Asaph and his relatives for the first time to sing these praises to the [Lord]:

8 Praise the [Lord]
and pray in his name!
Tell everyone
what he has done.

9 Sing praises to the [Lord]!
Tell about his miracles.

10 Celebrate and worship
his holy name
with all your heart.

11 Trust the [Lord]
and his mighty power.
Worship him always.

12 Remember his miracles
and all his wonders
and his fair decisions.

13 You belong to the family
of Israel, his servant;
you are his chosen ones,
the descendants of Jacob.

14 The [Lord] is our God,
bringing justice
everywhere on earth.

15 We must never forget
his agreement and his promises,
not in thousands of years.
*

16 t God made an eternal promise

17 to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

18 when he said, “I'll give you
the land of Canaan.”

19 At the time there were
only a few of us,
and we were homeless.

20 We wandered from nation
to nation, from one country
to another.

21  t God did not let anyone
mistreat our people.
Instead he protected us
by punishing rulers

22 and telling them,
“Don't touch my chosen leaders
or harm my prophets!”

23 Everyone on this earth,
sing praises to the [Lord].
Day after day announce,
“The [Lord] has saved us!”

24 Tell every nation on earth,
“The [Lord] is wonderful
and does marvelous things!

25 The [Lord] is great and deserves
our greatest praise!
He is the only God
worthy of our worship.

26 Other nations worship idols,
but the [Lord] created
the heavens.

27 Give honor and praise
to the [Lord],
whose power and beauty
fill his holy temple.”

28 Tell everyone of every nation,
“Praise the glorious power
of the [Lord].

29 He is wonderful! Praise him
and bring an offering
into his temple.
Worship the [Lord],
majestic and holy.

30 Everyone on earth, now tremble!”
The world stands firm,
never to be shaken.

31 Tell the heavens and the earth
to be glad and celebrate!
And announce to the nations,
“The [Lord] is King!”

32 Command the ocean to roar
with all of its creatures
and the fields to rejoice
with all of their crops.

33 Then every tree in the forest
will sing joyful songs
to the [Lord].
He is coming to judge
all people on earth.

34  t Praise the [Lord]
because he is good to us,
and his love never fails.

35 Say to him, “Save us, [Lord] God!
Bring us back
from among the nations.
Let us celebrate and shout
in praise of your holy name.

36 [Lord] God of Israel,
you deserve to be praised
forever and ever.”
After David finished, the people shouted, “Amen! Praise the [Lord]!”

David Appoints //Worship Leaders //at Jerusalem and Gibeon

38 Obed-Edom and 68 of his relatives were their assistants, and Hosah and Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun were the guards.
39 David also chose Zadok the priest and his relatives who were priests to serve at the [Lord]'s sacred tent at Gibeon. 40 They were to offer sacrifices on the altar every morning and evening, just as the [Lord] had commanded in the Law he gave Israel. 41 t Heman and Jeduthun were their assistants, as well as the other men who had been chosen to praise the [Lord] for his never-ending love.

42 Heman and Jeduthun were also responsible for blowing the trumpets, and for playing the cymbals and other instruments during worship at the tent. The Levites in Jeduthun's clan were the guards at Gibeon.
43  t After that, everyone went home, and David went home to his family.