1 They put the sacred chest inside the tent that David had set up for it, then they offered sacrifices to please the Lord and sacrifices to ask his blessing.
2 After David had finished, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord
3 and gave every person in the crowd a small loaf of bread, some meat, and a handful of raisins.
4 David appointed some of the Levites to serve at the sacred chest; they were to play music and sing praises to the Lord God of Israel.
5 Asaph was their leader, and Zechariah was his assistant. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and another man named Jeiel were appointed to play small harps and stringed instruments. Asaph himself played the cymbals,
6 and the two priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets every day in front of the sacred chest.
7 That same day, David instructed Asaph and his relatives for the first time to sing these praises to the Lord:
8 Praise the Lordand pray in his name!Tell everyonewhat he has done.
9 Sing praises to the Lord!Tell about his miracles.
10 Celebrate and worshiphis holy namewith all your heart.
11 Trust the Lordand his mighty power.Worship him always.
12 Remember his miraclesand all his wondersand his fair decisions.
13 You belong to the familyof Israel, his servant;you are his chosen ones,the descendants of Jacob.
14 The Lord is our God,bringing justiceeverywhere on earth.
15 We must never forgethis agreement and his promises,not in thousands of years.
16-17 God made an eternal promiseto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
18 when he said, “I'll give youthe land of Canaan.”
19 At the time there wereonly a few of us,and we were homeless.
20 We wandered from nationto nation, from one countryto another.
21 God did not let anyoneill-treat our people.Instead he protected usby punishing rulers
22 and telling them,“Don't touch my chosen leadersor harm my prophets!”
23 Everyone on this earth,sing praises to the Lord.Day after day announce,“The Lord has saved us!”
24 Tell every nation on earth,“The Lord is wonderfuland does marvellous things!
25 The Lord is great and deservesour greatest praise!He is the only Godworthy of our worship.
26 Other nations worship idols,but the Lord createdthe heavens.
27 Give honour and praiseto the Lord,whose power and beautyfill his holy temple.”
28 Tell everyone of every nation,“Praise the glorious powerof the Lord.
29 He is wonderful! Praise himand bring an offeringinto his temple.Worship the Lord,majestic and holy.
30 Everyone on earth, now tremble!”The world stands firm,never to be shaken.
31 Tell the heavens and the earthto be glad and celebrate!And announce to the nations,“The Lord is King!”
32 Command the ocean to roarwith all its creaturesand the fields to rejoicewith all their crops.
33 Then every tree in the forestwill sing joyful songsto the Lord.He is coming to judgeall people on earth.
34 Praise the Lordbecause he is good to us,and his love never fails.
35 Say to him, “Save us, Lord God!Bring us backfrom among the nations.Let us celebrate and shoutin praise of your holy name.
36 Lord God of Israel,you deserve to be praisedfor ever and ever.”After David finished, the people shouted, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”
37 David chose Asaph and the Levites in his clan to be in charge of the daily worship at the place where the sacred chest was kept.
38 Obed-Edom and sixty-eight of his relatives were their assistants, and Hosah and Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun were the guards.
39 David also chose Zadok the priest and his relatives who were priests to serve at the Lord's sacred tent at Gibeon.
40 They were to offer sacrifices on the altar every morning and evening, just as the Lord had commanded in the Law he gave Israel.
41 Heman and Jeduthun were their assistants, as well as the other men who had been chosen to praise the Lord for his never-ending love.
42 Heman and Jeduthun were also responsible for blowing the trumpets, and for playing the cymbals and other instruments during worship at the tent. The Levites in Jeduthun's clan were the guards at Gibeon.
43 After that, everyone went home, and David went home to his family.