1 Chronicles 15:1-29
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David. Then he prepared a place for the ark of God. He set up a tent for it. He said, “Only Levites can carry the ark of God. That’s because the Lord chose them to carry his ark. He chose them to serve him forever in front of the place where his throne is.”
David gathered the whole community of Israel together in Jerusalem. He wanted to carry up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.
He called together the members of the family line of Aaron. He also called the Levites together. Here are the men who came from the families of the Levites.
From the families of Kohath
came the leader Uriel and 120 relatives.
From the families of Merari
came the leader Asaiah and 220 relatives.
From the families of Gershon
came the leader Joel and 130 relatives.
From the families of Elizaphan
came the leader Shemaiah and 200 relatives.
From the families of Hebron
came the leader Eliel and 80 relatives.
From the families of Uzziel
came the leader Amminadab and 112 relatives.
David sent for Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. He also sent for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab. They were Levites. He said to them, “You are the leaders of the families of Levi. You and the other Levites must set yourselves apart to serve the Lord and his people. You must carry up the ark of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. Put the ark in the place I’ve prepared for it. Remember when the anger of the Lord our God broke out against us? That’s because it wasn’t you Levites who tried to carry up the ark the first time. We didn’t ask the Lord how to do it in the way the law requires.” So the priests and Levites set themselves apart. Then they carried up the ark of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. This time the Levites used the poles to carry on their shoulders the ark of God. That’s what Moses had commanded in keeping with the word of the Lord.
David told the Levite leaders to appoint other Levites as musicians. He wanted them to make a joyful sound with lyres, harps and cymbals.
So the Levites appointed Heman, the son of Joel. From his relatives they chose Asaph, the son of Berekiah. Other relatives were from the family of Merari. From them they chose Ethan, the son of Kushaiah. Along with them they chose their relatives who were next in rank. Their names were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They guarded the gates.
Heman, Asaph and Ethan played the bronze cymbals. Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah played the lyres according to alamoth. Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah played the harps according to sheminith. Kenaniah was the leader of the Levites. He was in charge of the singing because he was good at it.
Berekiah and Elkanah guarded the ark. Some of the priests blew trumpets in front of the ark of God. Their names were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer. Obed-Edom and Jehiah also helped guard the ark.
David and the elders of Israel went to carry up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So did the commanders of military groups of 1,000 men. With great joy they carried up the ark from the house of Obed-Edom. God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. David was wearing a robe made out of fine linen. So were all the Levites who were carrying the ark. And so were the musicians and the choir director Kenaniah. David was also wearing a sacred linen apron. So the whole community of Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They shouted. They blew rams’ horns and trumpets. They played cymbals, lyres and harps.
The ark of the covenant of the Lord was brought into the City of David. Saul’s daughter Michal was watching from a window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. That made her hate him in her heart.
1 Chronicles 16:1-36
Serving God in Front of the Ark
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. After David finished sacrificing those offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. He gave to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread. He also gave each one a date cake and a raisin cake.
He appointed some of the Levites to serve in front of the ark of the Lord. David wanted them to give honor, thanks and praise to the Lord. He is the God of Israel. 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. Benaiah and Jahaziel, the priests, blew the trumpets. They blew them at regular times in front of the ark of the covenant of God.
That day was the first time David appointed Asaph and his helpers. He appointed them to give praise to the Lord with these words.
Give praise to the Lord. Make his name known.
Tell the nations what he has done.
Sing to him. Sing praise to him.
Tell about all the wonderful things he has done.
Honor him, because his name is holy.
Let the hearts of those who trust in the Lord be glad.
Look to the Lord and to his strength.
Always look to him.
Remember the wonderful things he has done.
Remember his miracles and how he judged our enemies.
Remember, you his servants, the children of Israel.
Remember, you people of Jacob. Remember, you who are chosen by God.
He is the Lord our God.
He judges the whole earth.
He will keep his covenant forever.
He will keep his promise for all time to come.
He will keep the covenant he made with Abraham.
He will keep the promise he made to Isaac.
He made it stand as a law for Jacob.
He made it stand as a covenant for Israel. It will last forever.
He said, “I will give you the land of Canaan.
It will belong to you.”
At first there weren’t very many of God’s people.
There were only a few. And they were strangers in the land.
They wandered from nation to nation.
They wandered from one kingdom to another.
But God didn’t allow anyone to treat them badly.
To keep them safe, he gave a command to kings.
He said to them, “Do not touch my anointed ones.
Do not harm my prophets.”
All you people of the earth, sing to the Lord.
Day after day tell about how he saves us.
Tell the nations about his glory.
Tell all people about the wonderful things he has done.
The Lord is great. He is really worthy of praise.
People should have respect for him as the greatest God of all.
All the gods of the nations are like their statues.
They can’t do anything.
But the Lord made the heavens.
Glory and majesty are all around him.
Strength and joy are in the place where he lives.
Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Praise the Lord for his glory and strength.
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.
All you people of the earth, tremble when you are with him.
The world is firmly set in place. It can’t be moved.
Let the heavens be filled with joy. Let the earth be glad.
Let them say among the nations, “The Lord rules!”
Let the ocean and everything in it roar.
Let the fields and everything in them be glad.
Let the trees in the forest sing with joy.
They will sing before the Lord.
He will judge the people of the world.
Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good.
His faithful love continues forever.
Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior.
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.”
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.”
