1 Chronicles 16

1They 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. 2When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3Then he gave to every man and woman in all Israel a loaf of bread, a cake of dates,*16:3 Or a portion of meat. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. and a cake of raisins.

4David 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. 5Asaph, 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. 6The priests, Benaiah and Jahaziel, played the trumpets regularly before the Ark of God’s Covenant.

David’s Song of Praise

7On that day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the Lord:

8Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.

Let the whole world know what he has done.

9Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

10Exult in his holy name;

rejoice, you who worship the Lord.

11Search for the Lord and for his strength;

continually seek him.

12Remember the wonders he has performed,

his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

13you children of his servant Israel,

you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14He is the Lord our God.

His justice is seen throughout the land.

15Remember his covenant forever—

the commitment he made to a thousand generations.

16This is the covenant he made with Abraham

and the oath he swore to Isaac.

17He 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.”

19He said this when you were few in number,

a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.

20They wandered from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another.

21Yet 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.”

23Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!

Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.

24Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.

Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

25Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!

He is to be feared above all gods.

26The gods of other nations are mere idols,

but the Lord made the heavens!

27Honor and majesty surround him;

strength and joy fill his dwelling.

28O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,

recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.

29Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!

Bring your offering and come into his presence.

Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.

30Let all the earth tremble before him.

The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

31Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!

Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

32Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!

33Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,

for he is coming to judge the earth.

34Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

35Cry 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.”

36Praise 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

37David 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. 38This group included Obed-edom (son of Jeduthun), Hosah, and sixty-eight other Levites as gatekeepers.

39Meanwhile, 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. 40They 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. 41David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and the others chosen by name to give thanks to the Lord, for “his faithful love endures forever.” 42They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God.*16:42 Or to accompany the sacred music; or to accompany singing to God. And the sons of Jeduthun were appointed as gatekeepers.

43Then all the people returned to their homes, and David turned and went home to bless his own family.