16 They brought the Ark of God and put it ·inside [in the middle of] the tent that David had set up for it. Then they offered burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1] to God. 2 When David had finished ·giving [sacrificing; offering] the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1], he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3 He gave a loaf of bread, some ·dates [or meat], and raisins to every Israelite man and woman.
The Ministry of the Levites(A)
4 Then David appointed some of the Levites to ·serve [minister] before the Ark of the Lord. They had the job of ·leading the worship [celebrating; extolling; invoking; offering prayers] and giving thanks and praising the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph, who played the cymbals, was the ·leader [chief]. Zechariah was second to him. The other Levites were Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. They played the lyres and harps. 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel were priests who ·blew [played] the trumpets regularly before the Ark of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant] ·with [of] God. 7 That day David first ·gave [assigned; appointed] Asaph and his ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers] ·the job of singing praises [this song of thanksgiving; vv. 8–22 correspond to Ps. 105:1–15] to the Lord.
David’s Song of Thanks
8 Give thanks to the Lord and ·pray to him [L call upon his name].
·Tell [Make known among; Proclaim to] the ·nations [world; peoples] ·what he has done [his deeds/accomplishments].
9 Sing to him; ·sing praises [make music] to him.
Tell about all his ·miracles [wonders; wonderful acts/works].
10 ·Be glad that you are his [Glory/Exult/Take pride in his holy name];
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord ·be happy [rejoice].
11 ·Depend on [Search for] the Lord and his strength;
·always go to him for help [seek his presence/L face continually].
12 Remember the ·miracles [wonders; wonderful acts/works] he has ·done [performed],
his ·marvels [miracles; mighty acts], and his ·decisions [judgments he pronounced/L from his mouth].
13 You are the ·descendants [L seed] of his servant, Israel;
you are the ·children [L sons] of Jacob, his chosen ·people [L ones].
14 He is the Lord our God.
His ·laws [judgments; justice] are ·for [or in; throughout] all the ·world [earth; land].
15 ·He will keep [or Remember] his ·agreement [treaty; covenant] forever;
·he will keep his promises always [the commitment/promise/word he made/commanded for a thousand generations].
16 He will keep the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] he made with Abraham
and the ·promise he made [oath/vow he swore] to Isaac.
17 He made it a law ·for the people of [to] Jacob;
he made it an ·agreement [treaty; covenant] with Israel to last forever.
18 He said, “I will give the land of Canaan to you,
·to belong to you [as the portion you will inherit].”
19 Then God’s people were few in number, very few,
and they were strangers in the land.
20 They ·went [wandered] from one nation to another,
from one kingdom to another.
21 But he did not let anyone ·hurt [oppress] them;
he ·warned kings not to harm them [rebuked/admonished kings].
22 He said, “Don’t touch my ·chosen people [L anointed ones],
and don’t harm my prophets.”
23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Every day ·tell [proclaim] ·how he saves us [his salvation].
24 ·Tell [Declare to] the nations about his glory [C his manifest presence];
tell all ·peoples [the nations] the ·miracles [wonders; wonderful acts/works] he does.
25 The Lord is great; ·he should be praised [most worthy of praise; T and greatly to be praised].
He should be ·respected more than [feared above] all gods.
26 All the gods of the ·nations [peoples] are only idols,
but the Lord made the ·skies [heavens].
27 ·He has glory and majesty [Splendor/Honor and majesty surround/L are before him];
·he has power and joy in [strength and joy are in/fill] his ·Temple [L place].
28 ·Praise [Recognize; Give what’s due to; T Ascribe to] the Lord, all nations on earth.
·Praise [Recognize; Give what’s due to; T Ascribe to] the Lord’s glory and ·power [strength];
29 ·praise [recognize; give what’s due to; T ascribe to] the glory of the Lord’s name.
Bring an offering and come ·to him [before him; into his presence].
Worship the Lord ·because he is holy [in his holy splendor].
30 Tremble before him, ·everyone on [all the] earth.
The earth is ·set [firmly established], and it cannot be moved.
31 Let the ·skies [heavens] rejoice and the earth be glad.
Let ·people [the nations] everywhere say, “The Lord ·is king [reigns]!”
32 Let the sea and everything in it ·shout [roar; thunder];
let the fields and everything in them ·rejoice [exult; celebrate; be jubilant].
33 Then the trees of the forest will ·sing [shout; cry out]
for joy before the Lord.
·They will sing because [For] he is coming to judge the ·world [earth].
34 Thank the Lord because he is good.
His ·love [steadfast love; lovingkindness] ·continues [endures] forever.
35 Say to him, “Save us, God ·our Savior [of our salvation],
and ·bring us back and save [gather and rescue] us from ·other [the] nations.
Then we will thank ·you [your holy name]
and ·will gladly praise you [glory in your praise].”
36 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, the God of Israel.
·He always was and always will be [… from everlasting to everlasting].
All the people said “Amen” and praised the Lord.
37 Then David left Asaph and ·the other Levites [his relatives/kinsmen/L brothers] there ·in front of [before] the Ark of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant] ·with [of] the Lord. They were to ·serve [minister] there ·every day [as each day’s work required]. 38 David also left Obed-Edom and sixty-eight ·other Levites [relatives; kinsmen; L brothers] to serve with them. Hosah and Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun were ·guards [gatekeepers].
39 David left Zadok the priest and ·the other priests who served with him in front of [his relatives/kinsmen/L brothers before] the ·Tent [Tabernacle] of the Lord at the ·place of worship [L high place] in Gibeon. 40 Every morning and evening they offered burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings, ·following [according to] ·the rules written in the Teachings [L everything written in the Law] of the Lord, which he had ·given [commanded] Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest chosen by name to ·sing praises [give thanks] to the Lord because his ·love [steadfast love; lovingkindness] ·continues [endures] forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun ·also had the job of playing the [or had with them] trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments ·when songs were sung to God [for sacred songs]. Jeduthun’s sons guarded the gates.
43 Then all the people left for their homes, and David also went home to bless ·the people in his home [his household].