1 They brought in the ark of God and put it in the middle of the tent that David had set up for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. 2 When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh. 3 He distributed to every Israelite, both to men and women, a loaf of bread, and a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. 4 David appointed certain Levites to serve before the ark of Yahweh, and to celebrate, thank and praise Yahweh, the God of Israel. 5 These Levites were Asaph the leader, and second to him Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel. These were to play with stringed instruments and with harps. Asaph was to sound the cymbals, sounding loudly. 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly, before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first appointed Asaph and his brothers to sing this song of thanksgiving to Yahweh. 8 Give thanks to Yahweh, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations. 9 Sing to him, sing praises to him; speak of all his marvelous deeds. 10 Boast in his holy name; let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice. 11 Seek Yahweh and his strength; seek his presence continually. 12 Recall the marvelous things he has done, his miracles and the decrees from his mouth, 13 you descendants of Israel his servant, you people of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14 He is Yahweh, our God. His decrees are on all the earth. 15 Keep his covenant in mind forever, the word that he commanded for a thousand generations. 16 He calls to mind the covenant that he made with Abraham, and his oath to Isaac. 17 This is what he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, and to Israel as an everlasting covenant. 18 He said, “I will give you the land of Canaan as your share of your inheritance.” 19 When they were only few in number, so very few, and they were strangers in the land, 20 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. 21 He did not allow anyone to oppress them; he punished kings for their sakes. 22 he said, “Do not touch my anointed ones, and do not harm my prophets.” 23 Sing to Yahweh, all the earth; announce his salvation day after day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all the nations. 25 For Yahweh is great and is to be praised greatly, and he is to be feared above all other gods. 26 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but it is Yahweh who made the heavens. 27 Splendor and majesty are in his presence. Strength and joy are in his place. 28 Ascribe to Yahweh, you clans of peoples, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength! 29 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory his name deserves. Bring an offering and come before him. Bow down to Yahweh in the splendor of holiness. 30 Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established; it cannot be shaken. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns.” 32 Let the sea roar, and that which fills it shout with joy. Let the fields be joyful, and all that is in them. 33 Then let the trees in the forest shout for joy before Yahweh, for he is coming to judge the earth. 34 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his covenant faithfulness endures forever. 35 Then say, “Save us, God of our salvation. Gather us together and rescue us from the other nations, so that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praises.” 36 May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting. All the people said, “Amen” and praised Yahweh. 37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to serve continually before the ark, as every day's work required. 38 Obed Edom with those sixty-eight relatives were included. Obed Edom son of Jeduthun, along with Hosah, were to be gatekeepers. 39 Zadok the priest and his fellow priests were to serve before the tabernacle of Yahweh at the high place in Gibeon. 40 They were to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar for burnt offerings continually morning and evening, according to all that is written in the law of Yahweh, which he gave as a command to Israel. 41 Heman and Jeduthun were with them, together with the rest who were chosen by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his covenant faithfulness endures forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun were in charge of those who played trumpets, cymbals, and the other instruments for the sacred music. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the gate. 43 Then all the people returned to their homes, and David returned to bless his own household.
1 Chronicles · Unlocked Literal Bible
1 Chronicles 16 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Benaiah
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Benaiah
A priest who blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant, together with Jahaziel.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:6
Eliab
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Hosah
Merarite appointed a gatekeeper; his lot was the West Gate and the Shallecheth Gate, and he had thirteen sons and brothers.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 16:38; 1 Chronicles 26:10; 1 Chronicles 26:16
Jahaziel
A priest who, with Benaiah, blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 16:6
Jeduthun
Levite musician of David's time who gave thanks with Heman at Gibeon and prophesied with the harp; his sons were gatekeepers and singers, and several psalm titles bear his name.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 9:16; 1 Chronicles 16:41; 1 Chronicles 16:42
Jehiel
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Jeiel
Named with Obed-edom as a gatekeeper and among those appointed to lead with lyres; listed again in the ministry before the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:21; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Mattithiah
Among the Levite singers appointed to lead with lyres according to Sheminith.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:21; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Shemiramoth
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Zechariah
Among the brothers of Heman, Asaph and Ethan, appointed to play harps according to Alamoth; second in rank under Asaph when the ministry before the ark began.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Cross references (43)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Chronicles 15:1; 2 Chronicles 1:4; Ezra 6:16–18; 2 Samuel 6:17–19; 2 Chronicles 5:6–7
- 2 Genesis 47:10; 2 Chronicles 30:18–20; 2 Chronicles 30:27; Joshua 22:6; 1 Kings 8:55–56
- 3 Ezekiel 45:17; Nehemiah 8:10; 1 Peter 4:9; 2 Chronicles 30:24; 2 Chronicles 35:7–8
- 4 Psalm 72:18; Psalm 103:2; 1 Chronicles 24:3; Psalm 105:5; Psalm 106:48
- 5 1 Chronicles 6:39; 2 Chronicles 29:25; 1 Chronicles 25:1–6; 1 Chronicles 15:16–24
- 6 2 Chronicles 29:26–28; 2 Chronicles 13:12; Numbers 10:8; 2 Chronicles 5:12–13
- 7 2 Samuel 22:1; 2 Samuel 23:1–2; Psalm 18:1; Nehemiah 12:24; Psalm 12:1
- 8 Psalm 105:1–15; Isaiah 12:4; 2 Kings 19:19; Psalm 145:5–6; 1 Chronicles 16:8–22
- 9 Colossians 3:16; Psalm 98:1–4; Psalm 96:1–3; James 5:13; Matthew 26:30
- 10 Matthew 7:7–8; Jeremiah 29:13; Proverbs 8:17; Psalm 34:2; Isaiah 55:6–7
- 11 Psalm 27:8–9; Zephaniah 2:2–3; Psalm 68:35; Psalm 24:6; Psalm 67:1
- 12 Psalm 111:4; Psalm 119:20; Psalm 103:2; Romans 11:33; Psalm 119:75
- 13 Psalm 135:4; Exodus 19:5–6; 1 Peter 2:9; Genesis 35:10–12; Genesis 28:13–14
- 14 Isaiah 26:9; Psalm 48:10–11; Psalm 100:3; Exodus 15:2; Psalm 97:8–9
- 15 Psalm 105:8; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 25:10; Malachi 4:4; Psalm 44:17
- 16 Genesis 17:2; Genesis 26:3; Genesis 35:11; Genesis 15:18; Galatians 3:15–17
- 17 Genesis 35:11–12; Genesis 17:7–8; Isaiah 55:3; 2 Samuel 23:5; Psalm 78:10
- 18 Genesis 13:15; Deuteronomy 32:8; Numbers 26:53–56; Genesis 28:13–14; Genesis 35:11–12
- 19 Deuteronomy 7:7; Genesis 34:30; Hebrews 11:13; Acts 7:5
- 20 Genesis 46:3; Genesis 46:6; Genesis 12:10; Genesis 20:1
- 21 Genesis 20:3; Genesis 12:17; Genesis 31:29; Exodus 7:15–18; Genesis 31:42
- 22 Genesis 20:7; Psalm 105:15; Genesis 49:8–10; Genesis 48:19–20; 1 Kings 19:16
- 23 Psalm 96:1–13; Psalm 71:15; Isaiah 51:6–8; Isaiah 12:5; 1 Chronicles 16:9
- 24 Isaiah 12:2–6; Psalm 22:27; Daniel 4:1–3; 2 Kings 19:19
- 25 Revelation 15:3–4; Psalm 89:7; Psalm 66:3–5; Jeremiah 10:6–10; Psalm 144:3–6
- 26 Isaiah 44:24; Isaiah 42:5; Psalm 102:25; Isaiah 40:26; Leviticus 19:4
- 27 Psalm 96:6; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 43:2–4; Psalm 28:7–8; Psalm 63:2–3
- 28 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 4:13; Psalm 100:1–2; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Ephesians 1:17–19
- 29 Psalm 100:4; Psalm 96:9; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 108:3–5; Psalm 96:6
- 30 Psalm 33:9; Hebrews 1:3; Psalm 93:1; Psalm 148:5–6; Revelation 11:15
- 31 Psalm 96:10; Revelation 19:6; Psalm 99:1; Psalm 97:1; Psalm 93:1–2
- 32 Psalm 98:7–8; Psalm 93:4; Psalm 148:9–10; Isaiah 44:23
- 33 Psalm 96:12–13; Psalm 98:9; Revelation 11:17–18; 2 Peter 3:14; Ezekiel 17:22–24
- 34 Psalm 106:1; 2 Chronicles 7:3; Ezra 3:11; Psalm 107:1; Psalm 136:1–26
- 35 Psalm 106:47–48; 1 Peter 2:9; Psalm 79:9–10; Psalm 14:7; 1 Peter 2:5
- 36 Psalm 72:18–19; 1 Kings 8:15; 1 Kings 8:56; Nehemiah 8:6; Ephesians 1:3
- 37 2 Chronicles 8:14; Ezra 3:4; 1 Chronicles 15:17–24; 1 Chronicles 16:4–6; 1 Chronicles 25:1–6
- 38 1 Chronicles 26:10; 1 Chronicles 13:14; 1 Chronicles 26:4–8; 1 Chronicles 25:3
- 39 1 Kings 3:4; 1 Chronicles 15:11; 1 Chronicles 12:28; 2 Chronicles 1:13; 2 Chronicles 1:3–4
- 40 Numbers 28:3–8; Exodus 29:38–42; 1 Kings 18:29; Ezra 3:3; Ezekiel 46:13–15
- 41 2 Chronicles 5:13; 1 Chronicles 25:1–6; Psalm 103:17; Ezra 3:11; 2 Chronicles 20:21
- 42 Psalm 150:3–6; Psalm 84:10; 2 Chronicles 29:25–28; 2 Chronicles 7:6; 1 Chronicles 25:6–7
- 43 2 Samuel 6:19–20; 1 Kings 8:66; Psalm 101:2; Joshua 24:15; Genesis 18:19
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"O sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord, all the earth" (ver.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)