Discovery Box1 Chronicles 16:4-36
Context16:4 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. 16:5 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; 16:6 and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of God’s covenant.
16:7 That day David first gave to Asaph and his colleagues this song of thanks to the Lord:
16:8 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
16:9 Sing to him! Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
16:10 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
16:11 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence 1 continually!
16:12 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed, 2
16:13 O children 3 of Israel, God’s 4 servant,
you descendants of Jacob, God’s 5 chosen ones!
16:14 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth. 6
16:15 Remember 7 continually his covenantal decree,
the promise he made 8 to a thousand generations –
16:16 the promise 9 he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac! 10
16:17 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise, 11
16:18 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
16:19 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and foreign residents within it,
16:20 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another. 12
16:21 He let no one oppress them,
he disciplined kings for their sake,
16:22 saying, 13 “Don’t touch my anointed ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Announce every day 14 how he delivers!
16:24 Tell the nations about his splendor,
tell 15 all the nations about his miraculous deeds!
16:25 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise,
he is more awesome than 16 all gods.
16:26 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, 17
but the Lord made the heavens. 18
16:27 Majestic splendor emanates from him, 19
he is the source of strength and joy. 20
16:28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
16:29 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves! 21
Bring an offering and enter his presence!
Worship the Lord in holy attire! 22
16:30 Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is established, it cannot be moved.
16:31 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the nations say, 23 ‘The Lord reigns!’
16:32 Let the sea and everything in it shout!
Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
16:33 Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth!
16:34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his loyal love endures. 24
16:35 Say this prayer: 25 “Deliver us, O God who delivers us!
Gather us! Rescue us from the nations!
Then we will give thanks 26 to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.” 27
16:36 May the Lord God of Israel be praised,
in the future and forevermore. 28
Then all the people said, “We agree! 29 Praise the Lord!”
[16:12] 2 tn Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”
[16:13] 4 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:13] 5 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:14] 6 tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”
[16:15] 7 tn The Hebrew text has a masculine plural imperative, addressed to the people. Some LXX
[16:15] 8 tn Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 16-18 make clear.
[16:16] 10 tn Heb “his oath to Isaac.”
[16:17] 11 tn Or “eternal covenant.”
[16:20] 12 tn Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”
[16:22] 13 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[16:23] 14 tn Heb “from day to day.”
[16:24] 15 tn The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[16:25] 16 tn Or “feared above.”
[16:26] 17 tn The Hebrew word אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement. Many modern English translations render this term as “idols” here.
[16:26] 18 tn Or “the sky” (also in v. 31). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
[16:27] 19 tn Heb “majesty and splendor [are] before him.”
[16:27] 20 tn Heb “strength and joy [are] in his place.”
[16:29] 21 tn Heb “the splendor of [i.e., due] his name.”
[16:29] 22 tn Or “in holy splendor.”
[16:31] 23 tn Heb “let them say among the nations.”
[16:34] 24 tn Or “is eternal.”
[16:35] 25 tn The words “this prayer” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[16:35] 26 tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.
[16:35] 27 tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”
[16:36] 28 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”
[16:36] 29 tn This is the Hebrew term אָמֵן (’amen, “surely”), traditionally transliterated “amen.”
