1 Chronicles 16:1 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Serving God in front of the ark

1 The ark of God was carried into Jerusalem. It was put in the tent David had set up for it. The priests brought burnt offerings and friendship offerings to God. 2 After David finished sacrificing those offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3 He gave to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread. He also gave each one a date cake and a raisin cake. 4 He appointed some of the Levites to serve in front of the ark of the LORD. David wanted them to give honour, thanks and praise to the LORD. He is the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the leader of those Levites. Zechariah was next in rank. Then came Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They played the lyres and harps. Asaph played the cymbals. 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel, the priests, blew the trumpets. They blew them at regular times in front of the ark of the covenant of God. 7 That day was the first time David appointed Asaph and his helpers. He appointed them to give praise to the LORD with these words. 8 Give praise to the LORD. Make his name known. Tell the nations what he has done. 9 Sing to him. Sing praise to him. Tell about all the wonderful things he has done. 10 Honour him, because his name is holy. Let the hearts of those who trust in the LORD be glad. 11 Look to the LORD and to his strength. Always look to him. 12 Remember the wonderful things he has done. Remember his miracles and how he judged our enemies. 13 Remember, you his servants, the children of Israel. Remember, you people of Jacob. Remember, you who are chosen by God. 14 He is the LORD our God. He judges the whole earth. 15 He will keep his covenant for ever. He will keep his promise for all time to come. 16 He will keep the covenant he made with Abraham. He will keep the promise he made to Isaac. 17 He made it stand as a law for Jacob. He made it stand as a covenant for Israel. It will last for ever. 18 He said, ‘I will give you the land of Canaan. It will belong to you.’ 19 At first there weren’t very many of God’s people. There were only a few. And they were strangers in the land. 20 They wandered from nation to nation. They wandered from one kingdom to another. 21 But God didn’t allow anyone to treat them badly. To keep them safe, he gave a command to kings. 22 He said to them, ‘Do not touch my anointed ones. Do not harm my prophets.’ 23 All you people of the earth, sing to the LORD. Day after day tell about how he saves us. 24 Tell the nations about his glory. Tell all people about the wonderful things he has done. 25 The LORD is great. He is really worthy of praise. People should have respect for him as the greatest God of all. 26 All the gods of the nations are like their statues. They can’t do anything. But the LORD made the heavens. 27 Glory and majesty are all around him. Strength and joy are in the place where he lives. 28 Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise the LORD for his glory and strength. 29 Praise the LORD for the glory that belongs to him. Bring an offering and come to him. Worship the LORD because of his beauty and holiness. 30 All you people of the earth, tremble when you are with him. The world is firmly set in place. It can’t be moved. 31 Let the heavens be filled with joy. Let the earth be glad. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD rules!’ 32 Let the ocean and everything in it roar. Let the fields and everything in them be glad. 33 Let the trees in the forest sing with joy. They will sing before the LORD. He will judge the people of the world. 34 Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good. His faithful love continues for ever. 35 Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Saviour. Save us. Bring us back from among the nations. Then we will give thanks to you, because your name is holy. We will celebrate by praising you.’ 36 Give praise to the LORD, the God of Israel, for ever and ever. Then all the people said, ‘Amen!’ They also said, ‘Praise the LORD.’ 37 David left Asaph and his helpers to serve in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. They served there at regular times. They did it as they were required to do each day. 38 David also left Obed-Edom and his 68 helpers to serve with them. Obed-Edom and Hosah guarded the gates. Obed-Edom was the son of Jeduthun. 39 David left Zadok the priest and some other priests in front of the holy tent of the LORD. It was at the high place in Gibeon. 40 David left them there to sacrifice burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar every morning and evening. They did it according to everything written in the Law of the LORD. That’s the Law he had given to Israel. 41 Heman and Jeduthun were with the priests. So were the rest of those who had been chosen by name and appointed to serve. They had been chosen to give thanks to the LORD, ‘because his faithful love continues for ever.’ 42 It was the duty of Heman and Jeduthun to blow the trumpets. They also had the duty of playing the cymbals and other instruments for the sacred songs. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at one of the gates. 43 All the people left. Everyone went home. And David returned home to bless his family.

English Standard Version

The Ark Placed in a Tent

1 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. (1Ch 15:1) 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat,^[1] and a cake of raisins. 4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, (1Ch 6:39) 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers. (2Sa 22:1; 2Sa 23:1)

David’s Song of Thanks

8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! (Ps 105:1; Ps 145:11; Isa 12:4) 9 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! 10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! (Ps 24:6; Ps 27:8) 12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, (Ps 77:11; Ps 78:43; Ps 143:5) 13 O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones! 14 He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. (Isa 26:9) 15 Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, 16 the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, (Ge 17:2; Ge 22:16; Ge 26:3; Ge 28:13; Lu 1:73)

Ge 17:2Ge 22:16Ge 26:3Ge 28:13Lu 1:73

17 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, (Ge 35:11) 18 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, as your portion for an inheritance.” (Ge 13:15; Ge 15:18) 19 When you were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, (De 7:7; De 26:5; Heb 11:9) 20 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, 21 he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, (Ge 12:17; Ge 20:3) 22 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!” (Ge 20:7) 23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. (Ps 96:1) 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. (Ps 95:3; Ps 145:3) 26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. (Ps 115:15; Isa 42:5; Isa 44:24; Jer 10:11)

Ps 115:15Isa 42:5Isa 44:24Jer 10:11

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! (Ps 29:1) 29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;^[2] (Ps 110:3) 30 tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” (Ps 93:1; Ps 97:1; Ps 99:1; Isa 49:13; Isa 52:7; Re 11:15; Re 11:17; Re 19:6)

Ps 93:1Ps 97:1Ps 99:1Isa 49:13Isa 52:7Re 11:15Re 11:17Re 19:6

32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! (Ps 98:7) 33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. 34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 35 Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. (Ps 106:47) 36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. (De 27:15; 1Ki 8:15; Ps 41:13; Ps 106:48)

De 27:151Ki 8:15Ps 41:13Ps 106:48

Worship Before the Ark

37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, (1Ch 16:4; 2Ch 31:16) 38 and also Obed-edom and his^[3] sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. (1Ch 26:4; 1Ch 26:10; 1Ch 26:16)

1Ch 26:41Ch 26:101Ch 26:16

39 And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon (1Ki 3:4; 1Ch 15:11) 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel. (Ex 27:1; Ex 29:38; Nu 28:3) 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Nu 1:17; 1Ch 6:33; 1Ch 16:34; 1Ch 25:1; 1Ch 25:3; 1Ch 25:6; 2Ch 5:13; 2Ch 7:3; 2Ch 7:6; 2Ch 20:21; Ezr 3:11; Jer 33:11)

Nu 1:171Ch 6:331Ch 16:341Ch 25:11Ch 25:31Ch 25:62Ch 5:132Ch 7:32Ch 7:62Ch 20:21Ezr 3:11Jer 33:11

42 Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate. (1Ch 25:7; 2Ch 29:27) 43 Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household. (2Sa 6:19)