Ministering Before the Ark
1They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. 2After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman.
4He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to extol,16:4 Or petition; or invoke thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: 5Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,16:5 See 15:18,20; Hebrew Jeiel, possibly another name for Jaaziel. Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
7That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner:
8Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
9Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
10Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
12Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
13you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
14He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
15He remembers16:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew Remember his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
16the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
17He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18“To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”
19When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
20they16:18-20 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 105:12); most Hebrew manuscripts inherit, / 19 though you are but few in number, / few indeed, and strangers in it.” / 20 They wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
21He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
22“Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm.”
23Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
24Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
26For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
27Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
28Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his16:29 Or Lord with the splendor of holiness.
30Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
31Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33Let the trees of the forest sing,
let them sing for joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
34Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
35Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
and glory in your praise.”
36Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”
37David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements. 38He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.
39David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon 40to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the Lord, which he had given Israel. 41With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord, “for his love endures forever.” 42Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.
43Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.
1众人把上帝的约柜抬进去，安放在大卫所搭的帐幕里，然后在上帝面前献上燔祭和平安祭。 2大卫献上燔祭和平安祭后，就奉耶和华的名给民众祝福， 3又给所有以色列人，不论男女，每人一个饼、一块肉和一个葡萄饼。
4大卫指派一些利未人在耶和华的约柜前事奉，颂扬、称谢和赞美以色列的上帝耶和华。 5为首的是亚萨，其次是撒迦利雅、雅薛、示米拉末、耶歇、玛他提雅、以利押、比拿雅、俄别·以东和耶利，他们鼓瑟弹琴，亚萨敲钹。 6比拿雅和雅哈悉两位祭司在上帝的约柜前吹号。
大卫的颂歌
7那一天，大卫初次指派亚萨和他的亲族唱诗歌颂耶和华，说：
8“你们要称谢耶和华，
呼求祂的名，
在列邦传扬祂的作为。
9要歌颂、赞美祂，
述说祂一切奇妙的作为。
10要以祂的圣名为荣，
愿寻求耶和华的人心中快乐。
11要寻求耶和华和祂的能力，
时常来到祂面前。
12-13祂仆人以色列的后裔啊，
祂所拣选的雅各的子孙啊，
要记住祂所行的神迹奇事和祂口中的判词。
14“祂是我们的上帝耶和华，
祂在普天下施行审判。
15要永远铭记祂的约，
历经千代也不可忘记祂的应许，
16就是祂与亚伯拉罕所立的约，
向以撒所起的誓。
17祂将这约定为律例赐给雅各，
定为永远的约赐给以色列。
18祂说，‘我必把迦南赐给你，
作为你的产业。’
19“那时他们人丁稀少，
寥寥可数，在当地寄居，
20他们在异国他乡流离飘零。
21耶和华不容人压迫他们，
还为他们的缘故责备君王，
22说，‘不可加害我膏立的人，
也不可伤害我的先知。’
23“普世都要歌颂耶和华，
天天传扬祂的救恩；
24要在列国述说祂的荣耀，
在万民中述说祂的奇妙作为。
25因为耶和华无比伟大，
当受至高的颂扬；
祂超越一切神明，
当受敬畏。
26列邦的神明都是假的，
唯独耶和华创造了诸天。
27祂带着尊贵和威严，
祂的圣所充满能力和喜乐。
28“万族万民啊，
要把荣耀和能力归给耶和华，
归给耶和华！
29要将耶和华之名当得的荣耀归给祂，
要将供物献给祂，
要穿圣衣敬拜耶和华16:29 或译“要敬拜圣洁荣耀的耶和华”。。
30大地要在祂面前颤抖；
世界坚立不摇。
31愿天欢喜，愿地快乐；
愿他们在列国宣告，
‘耶和华执掌王权！’
32愿海洋和其中的万物都欢呼，
愿田野和其中的一切都欢腾！
33那时，林中的树木都要在耶和华面前欢唱，
因为祂要来审判天下。
34你们要称谢耶和华，
因为祂是美善的，
祂的慈爱永远长存！
35“要说，‘拯救我们的上帝啊，
求你拯救我们，招聚我们，
把我们从列国中救出来，
我们好称谢你的圣名，
以赞美你为荣。’
36以色列的上帝耶和华永永远远当受称颂！”
众民都说：“阿们！”
并赞美耶和华。
分派事奉的人员
37大卫派亚萨及其亲族天天在约柜前事奉耶和华，尽当尽的职分； 38又派俄别·以东及其六十八位亲族、何萨和耶杜顿的儿子俄别·以东守门； 39并派祭司撒督及其他祭司在基遍丘坛的耶和华的圣幕前供职， 40按照耶和华在律法书上对以色列人的吩咐，每日早晚在祭坛上献燔祭给耶和华。 41与他们一同供职的有希幔、耶杜顿和其他人，他们被特别选出来称谢上帝，因为祂的慈爱永远长存。 42希幔和耶杜顿负责用号、钹及其他乐器伴奏歌颂上帝。耶杜顿的子孙负责守门。 43于是，众民各自回家，大卫也回去为家人祝福。
