1 Chronicles 16

1 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 holocausts, and peace offerings before God.

They brought the Ark of God and placed it in the tent that David had prepared for it. They presented burnt offerings and friendship offerings to God.

2 And when David had made an end of offering holocausts, and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

Once David had finished presenting the burnt offerings and friendship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

3 And he divided to all and every one, both men and women, a loaf of bread, and a piece of roasted beef, and flour fried with oil.

Then he shared out to every Israelite, to every man and woman, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

4 And he appointed Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to remember his works, and to glorify, and praise the Lord God of Israel.

David assigned some of the Levites to serve as ministers before the Ark of the Lord, to remember, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.

5 Asaph the chief, and next after him Zacharias: moreover Jahiel, and Semiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mathathias, and Eliab, and Banaias, and Obededom: and Jehiel over the instruments of psaltery, and harps: and Asaph sounded with cymbals:

Asaph was the one in charge, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They played harps and lyres, and Asaph struck the cymbals,

6 But Banaias, and Jaziel the priests, to sound the trumpet continually before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets continually in front of the Ark of God's Agreement.

7 In that day David made Asaph the chief to give praise to the Lord with his brethren.

This was the day that David first instructed Asaph and his relatives to express thanks to the Lord in this way:

8 Praise ye the Lord, and call upon his name: make known his doings among the nations.

Give the Lord thanks, worship his wonderful nature, let people know what he's done!

9 Sing to him, yea, sing praises to him: and relate all his wondrous works.

Sing to him, sing his praises; tell everyone the great things he's done!

10 Praise ye his holy name: let the heart I of them rejoice, that seek the Lord.

Be proud of his holy character; be happy, all who come to the Lord!

11 Seek ye the Lord, and his power: seek ye his face evermore.

Look for the Lord, and his strength; always look to be with him.

12 Remember his wonderful works, which he hath done: his signs, and the judgments of his mouth.

Remember all the wonderful things he's done, the miracles he's performed, and the judgments he's carried out,

13 O ye seed of Israel his servants, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

descendants of Israel, children of Jacob, his chosen people.

14 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

He is the Lord, our God, his judgments cover the whole earth.

15 Remember for ever his covenant: the word, which he commanded to a thousand generations.

He remembers his agreement forever, the promise he made lasts for a thousand generations;

16 The covenant which he made with Abraham: and his oath to Isaac.

the agreement he made with Abraham, the vow he gave to Isaac.

17 And he appointed the same to Jacob for a precept: and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

The Lord legally confirmed it with Jacob, he made this everlasting agreement with Israel:

18 Saying: To thee will I give the land of Chanaan: the lot of your inheritance.

saying, “I will give the land of Canaan to you for you to possess.”

19 When they were but a small number: very few and sojourners in it.

He said this when there were only a few of you, just a small group of foreigners in the land.

20 And they passed from nation to nation: and from a kingdom to another people.

They wandered from country to country, from one kingdom to the next.

21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: and reproved kings for their sake.

He didn't let anyone one treat them badly; warning kings to leave them alone:

22 Touch not my anointed: and do no evil to my prophets.

“Don't touch my chosen people; don't harm my prophets!”

23 Sing ye to the Lord, all the earth: shew forth from day to day his salvation.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth, sing to the Lord! Each day let everyone know of his salvation!

24 Declare his glory among the Gentiles: his wonders among all people.

Declare his glorious acts among the nations, the wonderful things he does among all peoples.

25 For the Lord is great and exceedingly to be praised: and he is to be feared above all gods.

For the Lord is great, and deserves the best praise! He is to be respected with awe above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

For all the gods of other nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens!

27 Praise and magnificence are before him: strength and joy in his place.

Splendor and majesty are his; power and glory are in his sanctuary.

28 Bring ye to the Lord, O ye families of the nations: bring ye to the Lord glory and empire.

Give the Lord credit, nations of the world, credit him with glory and strength.

29 Give to the Lord glory to his name, bring up sacrifice, and come ye in his sight: and adore the Lord in holy becomingness.

Give the Lord the glory he deserves; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in his magnificent holiness.

30 Let all the earth be moved at his presence: for he hath founded the world immoveable.

Let everyone on earth tremble in his presence. The world is held together firmly—it cannot be broken apart.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad: and let them say among the nations: The Lord hath reigned.

Let the heavens sing for joy, let the earth be happy. Tell the nations, “The Lord is in charge!”

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all things that are in them.

Let the sea and everything in it shout with praise! Let the fields and everything there celebrate;

33 Then shall the trees of the wood give praise before the Lord: because he is come to judge the earth.

Let all the trees in the forest sing for joy, for he is coming to judge the earth.

34 Give ye glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Say thank you to the Lord, for he is good! His trustworthy love continues forever!

35 And say ye: Save us, O God our saviour: and gather us together, and deliver us from the nations, that we may give glory to thy holy name, and may rejoice in singing thy praises.

Shout out, “Save us, Lord, our God! Bring us back together from among the nations, rescue us, so we can thank you and praise how magnificent and holy you are.”

36 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity: and let all the people say Amen, and a hymn to God.

How wonderful is the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives forever and ever! Then all the people said, “Amen!” and “Praise the Lord!”

37 So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brethren to minister in the presence of the ark continually day by day, and in their courses.

Then David made sure Asaph and his brothers would minister continually before the Ark of the Lord's Agreement, performing whatever services were needed every day,

38 And Obededom, with his brethren sixty-eight: and Obededom the son of Idithun, and Hosa he appointed to be porters.

as well as Obed-edom and his sixty-eight relatives. Obed-edom, son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, were gatekeepers.

39 And Sadoc the priest, and his brethren priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place, which was in Gabaon.

David put Zadok the priest and his fellow priests in charge of the Ark of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon

40 That they should offer holocausts to the Lord upon the altar of holocausts continually, morning and evening, according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel.

to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings, morning and evening, according to all that was written in the law of the Lord which he had ordered Israel to follow.

41 And after him Heman, and Idithun, and the rest that were chosen, every one by his name to give praise to the Lord: because his mercy endureth for ever.

They were accompanied by Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and identified by name to give thanks to the Lord, for “His trustworthy love lasts forever.”

42 And Heman and Idithun sounded the trumpet, and played on the cymbals, and all kinds of musical instruments to sing praises to God: and the sons of Idithun he made porters.

Heman and Jeduthun used their trumpets and cymbals to make music to accompany the songs of God. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the gate.

43 And all the people returned to their houses: and David to bless also his own house.

Then all the people went home, and David went to bless his family.