1David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it.
3Then David summoned all Israel to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.
5From the clan of Kohath, 120, with Uriel as their leader.
6From the clan of Merari, 220, with Asaiah as their leader.
7From the clan of Gershon,*15:7 Hebrew Gershom, a variant spelling of Gershon. 130, with Joel as their leader.
8From the descendants of Elizaphan, 200, with Shemaiah as their leader.
9From the descendants of Hebron, 80, with Eliel as their leader.
10From the descendants of Uzziel, 112, with Amminadab as their leader.
11Then David summoned the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, and these Levite leaders: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
16David also ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of Levites who were singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals.
19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals.
23Berekiah and Elkanah were chosen to guard*15:23 Hebrew chosen as gatekeepers for; also in 15:24. the Ark.
25Then David and the elders of Israel and the generals of the army*15:25 Hebrew the commanders of thousands. went to the house of Obed-edom to bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant up to Jerusalem with a great celebration.
27David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the Ark, and also the singers, and Kenaniah the choir leader. David was also wearing a priestly garment.*15:27 Hebrew a linen ephod.
29But as the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David skipping about and laughing with joy, she was filled with contempt for him.
1They brought the Ark of God and placed it inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to God.
4David appointed the following Levites to lead the people in worship before the Ark of the Lord—to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.
7On that day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the Lord:
8Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
9Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
10Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
11Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
12Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
13you children of his servant Israel,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.
14He is the Lord our God.
His justice is seen throughout the land.
15Remember his covenant forever—
the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
16This is the covenant he made with Abraham
and the oath he swore to Isaac.
17He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
18“I will give you the land of Canaan
as your special possession.”
19He said this when you were few in number,
a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
20They wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
21Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
He warned kings on their behalf:
22“Do not touch my chosen people,
and do not hurt my prophets.”
23Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
24Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
25Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be feared above all gods.
26The gods of other nations are mere idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
27Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and joy fill his dwelling.
28O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
29Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
30Let all the earth tremble before him.
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
31Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
33Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
34Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
35Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
and rejoice and praise you.”
36Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting!
And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.
18But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.*1:18 Or who, by their wickedness, prevent the truth from being known.
21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
24So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
28Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
1O Lord, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
2The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
3For they brag about their evil desires;
they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.
4The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.
5Yet they succeed in everything they do.
They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
They sneer at all their enemies.
6They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
We will be free of trouble forever!”
7Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.*10:7 Greek version reads cursing and bitterness. Compare Rom 3:14.
Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8They lurk in ambush in the villages,
waiting to murder innocent people.
They are always searching for helpless victims.
9Like lions crouched in hiding,
they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless
and drag them away in nets.
10Their helpless victims are crushed;
they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”
12Arise, O Lord!
Punish the wicked, O God!
Do not ignore the helpless!
13Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
They think, “God will never call us to account.”
14But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.
15Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
6Many seek favors from a ruler;
everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!
7The relatives of the poor despise them;
how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
their friends are gone.