the Fourth Week of Advent
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Easy-to-Read Version
1 Chronicles 16
1 The Levites brought God's Holy Box and put it inside the tent David had set up for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to God. 2 After David had finished giving the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he used the Lord's name to bless the people. 3 Then he gave a loaf of bread, some dates, and raisins to every Israelite man and woman.
4 Then David chose some of the Levites to serve before the Lord's Holy Box. They had the job of celebrating and giving thanks and praise to the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the leader of the first group. His group played the cymbals. Zechariah was the leader of the second group. The other Levites were Uzziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel. These men played the lyres and harps. 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel were the priests who always blew the trumpets before the Box of God's Agreement. 7 This was when David first gave Asaph and his brothers the job of singing praises to the Lord.
David's Song of Thanks
8 Give thanks to the Lord and call out to him!
Tell the nations what he has done!
9 Sing to him; sing praises to him.
Tell about the amazing things he has done.
10 Be proud of his holy name.
You followers of the Lord, be happy!
11 Depend on the Lord for strength.
Always go to him for help.
12 Remember the amazing things he has done.
Remember his miracles and his fair decisions.
13 The people of Israel are his servants.
The descendants of Jacob are his chosen people.
14 The Lord is our God.
He rules the whole world.
15 Remember his agreement forever,
the promise he gave that will never end.
16 Remember the agreement he made with Abraham
Remember his promise to Isaac.
17 He gave it as a law for Jacob,
as an agreement with Israel that will last forever.
18 He said, "I will give you the land of Canaan.
It will be your very own."
19 At the time God said this, there were only a few of his people,
and they were strangers there.
20 They traveled around from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
21 But the Lord did not let anyone mistreat them.
He warned kings not to harm them.
22 He said, "Don't hurt my chosen people.
Don't hurt my prophets."
23 Let the whole world sing to the Lord!
Tell the good news every day about how he saves us.
24 Tell all the nations how wonderful he is!
Tell people everywhere about the amazing things he does.
25 The Lord is great and worthy of praise.
He is more awesome than any of the "gods."
26 All the "gods" in other nations are nothing but statues,
but the Lord made the heavens!
27 He lives in the presence of glory and honor.
His Temple is a place of power and joy.
28 Praise the Lord, all people of every nation;
praise the Lord's glory and power!
29 Give the Lord praise worthy of his glory.
Come into his presence with your offerings.
Worship the Lord in all his holy beauty.
30 Everyone on earth should tremble before him!
But the world stands firm and cannot be moved.
31 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be happy!
Let people everywhere say, "The Lord rules!"
32 Let the sea and everything in it shout for joy!
Let the fields and everything in them be happy!
33 The trees of the forest will sing for joy when they see the Lord,
because he is coming to rule the world.
34 Give thanks to the Lord because he is good.
His faithful love will last forever.
35 Say to him,
"Save us, God our Savior.
Bring us back together,
and save us from the other nations.
Then we will give thanks to your holy name
and joyfully praise you."
36 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel!
He always was and will always be worthy of praise!
All the people praised the Lord and said "Amen!"
37 Then David left Asaph and his brothers there in front of the Box of the Lord's Agreement. David left them there to serve in front of it every day. 38 He also left Obed Edom and 68 other Levites to serve with Asaph and his brothers. Obed Edom and Hosah were guards. Obed Edom was Jeduthun's son.
39 David left Zadok the priest and the other priests who served with him in front of the Lord's Tent[a] at the high place in Gibeon. 40 Every morning and evening Zadok and the other priests offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings. They did this to follow the rules written in the law of the Lord, which he had given Israel. 41 Heman, Jeduthun, and all the other Levites were chosen by name to praise the Lord, singing, "His faithful love will last forever." 42 Heman and Jeduthun were with them. They had the job of blowing the trumpets and playing cymbals. They also had the job of playing other musical instruments when songs were sung to God. Jeduthun's sons guarded the gates.
43 After the celebration, all the people left and went home. David also went home to bless his family.
