1 Chronicles 16:4-6

16:4 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.

1 Chronicles 16:37-42

David Appoints Worship Leaders

16:37 David ¹  left Asaph and his colleagues there before the ark of the Lord’s covenant to serve before the ark regularly and fulfill each day’s requirements, ²  16:38 including Obed-Edom and sixty-eight colleagues. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were gatekeepers. 16:39 Zadok the priest and his fellow priests served ³  before the Lord’s tabernacle at the worship center ⁴  in Gibeon, 16:40 regularly offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar for burnt sacrifice, morning and evening, according to what is prescribed in the law of the Lord which he charged Israel to observe. ⁵  16:41 Joining them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. (For his loyal love endures!) ⁶  16:42 Heman and Jeduthun were in charge of the music, including the trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments used in praising God. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the entrance. ⁷ 

Psalms 68:24-25

68:24 They ⁸  see your processions, O God –

the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor. ⁹ 

68:25 Singers walk in front;

musicians follow playing their stringed instruments, ¹⁰ 

in the midst of young women playing tambourines. ¹¹ 

[16:37]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:37]  ² tn Heb “according to the matter of the day in its day.”

[16:39]  ³ tn The word “served” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[16:39]  ⁴ tn Or “high place.”

[16:40]  ⁵ tn Heb “which he commanded Israel.”

[16:41]  ⁶ tn Perhaps this refers to the refrain of their songs of praise (see Ps 136). In this case one could translate, “to give thanks to the Lord with songs using the refrain, ‘For his loyal love endures.’”

[16:42]  ⁷ tn Heb “and with them, Heman and Jeduthun, trumpets and cymbals for sounding, and the instrument of song of God, and the sons of Jeduthun [were] at the gate.”

[68:24]  ⁸ tn The subject is probably indefinite, referring to bystanders in general who witness the procession.

[68:24]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew text has simply “in holiness.” The words “who marches along” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[68:25]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “after [are] the stringed instrument players.”

[68:25]  ¹¹ sn To celebrate a military victory, women would play tambourines (see Exod 15:20; Judg 11:34; 1 Sam 18:6).