< 1 Chronicles 16 >
1 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 Once David had finished presenting the burnt offerings and friendship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.
3 Then he shared out to every Israelite, to every man and woman, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.
4 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 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 and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets continually in front of the Ark of God's Agreement.
7 This was the day that David first instructed Asaph and his relatives to express thanks to the Lord in this way:
8 Give the Lord thanks, worship his wonderful nature, let people know what he's done!
9 Sing to him, sing his praises; tell everyone the great things he's done!
10 Be proud of his holy character; be happy, all who come to the Lord!
11 Look for the Lord, and his strength; always look to be with him.
12 Remember all the wonderful things he's done, the miracles he's performed, and the judgments he's carried out,
13 descendants of Israel, children of Jacob, his chosen people.
14 He is the Lord, our God, his judgments cover the whole earth.
15 He remembers his agreement forever, the promise he made lasts for a thousand generations;
16 the agreement he made with Abraham, the vow he gave to Isaac.
17 The Lord legally confirmed it with Jacob, he made this everlasting agreement with Israel:
18 saying, “I will give the land of Canaan to you for you to possess.”
19 He said this when there were only a few of you, just a small group of foreigners in the land.
20 They wandered from country to country, from one kingdom to the next.
21 He didn't let anyone one treat them badly; warning kings to leave them alone:
22 “Don't touch my chosen people; don't harm my prophets!”
23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth, sing to the Lord! Each day let everyone know of his salvation!
24 Declare his glorious acts among the nations, the wonderful things he does among all peoples.
25 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 other nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens!
27 Splendor and majesty are his; power and glory are in his sanctuary.
28 Give the Lord credit, nations of the world, credit him with glory and strength.
29 Give the Lord the glory he deserves; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in his magnificent holiness.
30 Let everyone on earth tremble in his presence. The world is held together firmly—it cannot be broken apart.
31 Let the heavens sing for joy, let the earth be happy. Tell the nations, “The Lord is in charge!”
32 Let the sea and everything in it shout with praise! Let the fields and everything there celebrate;
33 Let all the trees in the forest sing for joy, for he is coming to judge the earth.
34 Say thank you to the Lord, for he is good! His trustworthy love continues forever!
35 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 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 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 as well as Obed-edom and his sixty-eight relatives. Obed-edom, son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, were gatekeepers.
39 David put Zadok the priest and his fellow priests in charge of the Ark of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon
40 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 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 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 Then all the people went home, and David went to bless his family.
