CHAPTER 16
1a They brought in the ark of God and set it within the tent which David had pitched for it.b Then they sacrificed burnt offerings and communion offerings to God. 2When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and communion offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD, 3and distributed to every Israelite, to every man and every woman, a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a raisin cake.
David’s Directives for the Levites. 4He then appointed certain Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate, thank, and praise the LORD, the God of Israel.c 5Asaph was their chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Uzziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. These were to play on harps and lyres, while Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to be the regular trumpeters before the ark of the covenant of God.
8* Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;d
make known among the peoples his deeds.
9Sing praise, play music;
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
10Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
11Rely on the mighty LORD;
constantly seek his face.
12Recall the wondrous deeds he has done,
his signs, and his words of judgment,
13You sons of Israel, his servants,
offspring of Jacob, the chosen ones!
14The LORD is our God;
who rules the whole earth.
15He remembers forever his covenant
the pact imposed for a thousand generations—
16Which was made with Abraham,
confirmed by oath to Isaac,
17And ratified as binding for Jacob,
an everlasting covenant for Israel:
18“To you will I give the land of Canaan,
your own allotted heritage.”
19When they were few in number,
a handful, and strangers there,
20Wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another,
21He let no one oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
22“Do not touch my anointed,
to my prophets do no harm.”
23e Sing to the LORD, all the earth,
announce his salvation, day after day.
24Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
25For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
to be feared above all gods.
26For the gods of the nations all do nothing,
but the LORD made the heavens.
27Splendor and majesty go before him;
power and rejoicing are in his holy place.
28Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and might;
29Give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts, and come before him;
bow down to the LORD, splendid in holiness.
30Tremble before him, all the earth;
the world will surely stand fast, never to be moved.
31Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let them say among the nations: The LORD is king.
32Let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
33Then let all the trees of the forest exult
before the LORD, who comes,
who comes to rule the earth.
34f Give thanks to the LORD, who is good,
whose love endures forever;
35And say, “Save us, O God, our savior,
gather us and deliver us from among the nations,
That we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in praising you.”
36Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Let all the people say, Amen! Hallelujah.
37Then David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly according to the daily ritual; 38he also left there Obed-edom and sixty-eight of his brothers, including Obed-edom, son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers.g
39But the priest Zadok and his priestly brothers he left before the tabernacle of the LORD on the high place at Gibeon,h 40to make burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar for burnt offerings regularly, morning and evening, and to do all that is written in the law of the LORD which he commanded Israel.i 41With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the others who were chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, “whose love endures forever,”j 42with trumpets and cymbals for accompaniment, and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun kept the gate.k
43Then all the people departed, each to their own homes, and David returned to bless his household.l
* [16:8–36] A hymn composed of parts of several psalms: vv. 8–22 = Ps 105:1–15; vv. 23–33 = Ps 96:1–13; vv. 34–36 = Ps 106:1, 47–48. There are minor textual variants between this hymn and the psalms it is drawn from.
b. [16:1] 1 Chr 15:1.
f. [16:34–36] Ps 106:1, 47–48.
g. [16:38] 1 Chr 15:24.
i. [16:40] Ex 29:38–42; Lv 6:9; Nm 28:3, 6; 2 Chr 13:11.
j. [16:41] 2 Chr 5:12; 7:3, 6; 20:21; Ezr 3:11.
k. [16:42] 2 Chr 29:27.
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