Chapter 16

A Tent for the Ark

1 And they brought in the ark of God and aplaced it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

2 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

3 He distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake.

4 He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel:

5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then 1Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, with musical instruments, harps, lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals,

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

7 Then on that day David afirst assigned 1Asaph and his 2relatives to give thanks to the Lord.

Psalm of Thanksgiving

8 aOh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name;

bMake known His deeds among the peoples.

9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;

1Speak of all His 2wonders.

10 1Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.

11 aSeek the Lord and His strength;

Seek His face continually.

12 aRemember His wonderful deeds which He has done,

bHis marvels and the judgments from His mouth,

13 O seed of Israel His servant,

Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!

14 He is the Lord our God;

aHis judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,

16 aThe covenant which He made with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac.

17 aHe also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,

To Israel as an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, “aTo you I will give the land of Canaan,

As the portion of your inheritance.”

19 aWhen they were only a few in number,

Very few, and strangers in it,

20 And they wandered about from nation to nation,

And from one kingdom to another people,

21 He permitted no man to oppress them,

And aHe reproved kings for their sakes, saying,

22 “Do not touch My anointed ones,

And ado My prophets no harm.”

23 aSing to the Lord, all the earth;

Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.

24 Tell of His glory among the nations,

His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

25 For agreat is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

He also is bto be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are 1aidols,

bBut the Lord made the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are before Him,

Strength and joy are in His place.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;

Bring an 1offering, and come before Him;

aWorship the Lord in 2holy array.

30 Tremble before Him, all the earth;

Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

31 aLet the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

And let them say among the nations, “bThe Lord reigns.”

32 aLet the sea 1roar, and 2all it contains;

Let the field exult, and all that is in it.

33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord;

For He is coming to judge the earth.

34 aO give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

35 aThen say, “Save us, O God of our salvation,

And gather us and deliver us from the nations,

To give thanks to Your holy name,

And 1glory in Your praise.”

36 aBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

From everlasting even to everlasting.

Then all the people bsaid, “Amen,” and praised the Lord.

Worship before the Ark

37 So he left Asaph and his 1relatives there abefore the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark continually, bas every day’s work required;

38 and aObed-edom with 1his 68 relatives; Obed-edom, also the son of Jeduthun, and bHosah as gatekeepers.

39 He left aZadok the priest and his 1relatives the priests bbefore the 2tabernacle of the Lord in the high place which was at Gibeon,

40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, aeven according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which He commanded Israel.

41 With them were aHeman and Jeduthun, and bthe rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to cgive thanks to the Lord, because His lovingkindness is everlasting.

42 And with them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and with instruments for athe songs of God, and the sons of Jeduthun for the gate.

43 aThen all the people departed each to his house, and David returned to bless his household.