1 Chronicles 16:4-37
- He appointed some of the Levites to serve before the ark of the Lord, to offer prayers, songs of thanks, and hymns to the Lord God of Israel.
- Asaph was the leader and Zechariah second in command, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. They were to play stringed instruments; Asaph was to sound the cymbals;
- and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of God’s covenant.
- That day David first gave to Asaph and his colleagues this song of praise to the Lord:
- Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
- Sing to him! Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
- Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
- Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
- Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed,
- O children of Israel, God’s servant,
you descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen ones!
- He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth.
- Remember continually his covenantal decree,
the promise he made to a thousand generations —
- the promise he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
- He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise,
- saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
- When they were few in number,
just a very few, and foreign residents within it,
- they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another.
- He let no one oppress them,
he disciplined kings for their sake,
- saying, “Don’t touch my anointed ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
- Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Announce every day how he delivers!
- Tell the nations about his splendor,
tell all the nations about his miraculous deeds!
- For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise,
he is more awesome than all gods.
- For all the gods of the nations are worthless,
but the Lord made the heavens.
- Majestic splendor emanates from him,
he is the source of strength and joy.
- Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
- Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves!
Bring an offering and enter his presence!
Worship the Lord in holy attire!
- Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is established, it cannot be moved.
- Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the nations say, ‘The Lord reigns!’
- Let the sea and everything in it shout!
Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
- Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth!
- Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his loyal love endures.
- Say this prayer: “Deliver us, O God who delivers us!
Gather us! Rescue us from the nations!
Then we will give thanks to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.”
- May the Lord God of Israel be praised,
in the future and forevermore.
Then all the people said, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”
- David left Asaph and his colleagues there before the ark of the Lord’s covenant to serve before the ark regularly and fulfill each day’s requirements,
Updated on 2009-11-22 (r.100) by Andrew Fountain