1 Chronicles 16

1 They brought the Sacred Chest [to Gibeon] and put it inside the Sacred Tent that David had [told his workers to] set up. Then they brought offerings to be completely burned [on the altar] and offerings to enable them to maintain fellowship [with God].

So they brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

2 When David had finished presenting all those offerings, he [asked Yahweh to] bless the people.

When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

3 He gave a loaf of bread, some dates, and some raisins to every Israeli man and woman [who was there].

Then he distributed to every man and woman of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

4 Then David appointed some of the descendants of Levi to stand in front of [the Sacred Tent in which] the Sacred Chest [had been placed], to lead the people who worshiped and thanked and praised Yahweh, the God of the Israeli people.

David appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.

5 Asaph, who played the cymbals, was their leader. Zechariah was his assistant. The other descendants of Levi [who helped Asaph] were Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. They played lyres and harps.

Asaph was the chief, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They were to play the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals

6 Benaiah and Jahaziel were priests who blew trumpets frequently in front of [the Sacred Tent in which was] the Sacred Chest.

and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 On that day, David gave to Asaph and his helpers this psalm to praise Yahweh:

On that day David first committed to Asaph and his brothers this song of thanksgiving to the LORD:

8 Thank God, and pray to him [MTY]. Tell the people of all nations what he has done.

“Give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.

9 Sing to him; sing songs to praise him. Tell about all his miraculous deeds.

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.

10 Be glad that you belong to him [MTY]; those who want to know Yahweh better should rejoice.

Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

11 Trust in Yahweh and in his power; continually seek to get help from him.

Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.

12 Do not forget the wonderful things that he has done, the miracles and the just laws that he has given to us.

Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,

13 We people are the descendants of his servant Jacob; we are the people of Israel whom he has chosen.

O offspring of His servant Israel, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.

14 Yahweh is our God. His just/fair laws are known by people throughout the world.

He is the LORD our God; His judgments carry throughout the earth.

15 He never forgets the agreement that he has made: he made a promise that will last for 1,000 generations.

Remember His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations—

16 That is the agreement that he made with Abraham, and he repeated that agreement to Isaac.

the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.

17 It was an agreement for the Israeli people, and he wanted that agreement to endure forever.

He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

18 What he said was, “I will give the Canaan region to you, to belong to you [and your descendants forever].”

‘I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.’

19 [He said that to them] when there were only a few of them, a tiny group of people who were living in that land (like strangers/that belonged to other people);

When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,

20 they continued to wander from one place to another, from one kingdom to another.

they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

21 But he did not allow others to oppress them, and he warned kings by saying to them,

He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:

22 “Do not harm the people whom I have chosen! Do not harm my prophets!”

‘Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!’

23 You people throughout the world, sing to Yahweh. Every day proclaim [to others] that he has saved us.

Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation day after day.

24 Tell the people of the nations that he is great; tell all the people-groups the marvelous things [that he has done].

Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all peoples.

25 Yahweh is great, and he deserves to be praised very much. He should be revered more than all the gods,

For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

26 because all the gods that the [other] people-groups [worship] are only idols, but Yahweh [is truly great; he] created the skies.

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but it is the LORD who made the heavens.

27 He is glorious and majestic; his power and joy fill his Sacred Tent.

Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy fill His dwelling.

28 You people in nations all over the world, praise Yahweh! Praise Yahweh for his glorious power [HEN]!

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

29 Praise Yahweh like he [MTY] deserves to be praised. Bring an offering and come to his Sacred Tent. Worship Yahweh because he is holy.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness;

30 Everyone on the earth should tremble in front of Yahweh. He put the earth firmly [in its place]; and nothing ever will be able to move/shake it.

tremble before Him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

31 Everything in the sky and on the earth should be happy. People [everywhere] should say, “Yahweh is our king!”

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’

32 The oceans and all the creatures that are in the oceans should shout to praise him; the fields and everything that is in them should rejoice.

Let the sea resound, and all that fills it; let the fields exult, and all that is in them.

33 When they do that, [it will be as though] the trees in the forest will sing joyfully in front of Yahweh. That will happen when he comes to judge [everyone on] [MTY] the earth.

Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth.

34 Thank Yahweh, because [everything that he does is] good. He faithfully loves us forever.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.

35 Say to him, “God, you are the one who rescues us, so gather us together and save us from [the armies of] other nations. When you do that, we will thank you [MTY], and we will be happy to praise you.”

Then cry out: ‘Save us, O God of our salvation; gather and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise.’

36 Praise Yahweh, the God of us Israeli people, He has always existed, and he will exist forever. After the people [finished singing that song], they all said, “(Amen/May it be so)!”, and they praised Yahweh.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and “Praise the LORD!”

37 Then David left Asaph and the other members of his clan there in front of [the tent in which] Yahweh’s Sacred Chest [had been placed]. He told them that they must do their work there every day.

So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to minister there regularly according to the daily requirements,

38 David also left Obed-Edom and 68 other descendants of Levi to work with them. Hosah and Obed-Edom guarded [the entrances of the Sacred Tent].

along with Obed-edom and his sixty-eight relatives. Obed-edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were to be gatekeepers.

39 David also told Zadok the [Supreme] Priest and the other priests who worked with him to remain in front of Yahweh’s Sacred Tent, which was still at the place where the Israeli people worshiped [God there] in Gibeon [city].

And David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon

40 Every morning and every evening they burned offerings on the altar, obeying the rules/laws that had been written [by Moses], rules/laws which Yahweh had given to the Israeli people.

to regularly 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 commanded Israel to keep.

41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and other descendants of Levi. They [MTY] were chosen to sing songs to praise Yahweh because he faithfully loves his people forever.

With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, for “His loving devotion endures forever.”

42 Heman and Jeduthun were appointed to play the trumpets and cymbals when [the other descendants of Levi sang sacred songs]. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to guard the gates [of the Sacred Tent].

Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people left. They returned to their homes, and David returned home to [ask Yahweh to] bless his family.

Then all the people departed for their homes, and David returned home to bless his household.