Day 177 of 730

¹David made him houses in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

²Then David said, "No one ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. For the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him forever."

³David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

⁴David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites:

⁵of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;

⁶of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty;

⁷of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;

⁸of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred;

⁹of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;

¹⁰of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.

¹¹David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

¹²and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

¹³For because you did not carry it at first, the Lord our God made an outbreak against us, because we did not seek him according to the ordinance."

¹⁴So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.

¹⁵The children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

¹⁶David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.

¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

¹⁸and with them their brothers of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.

¹⁹So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of brass to sound aloud;

²⁰and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;

²¹and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.

²²Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song: he instructed about the song, because he was skillful.

²³Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁴Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁵So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

²⁶It happened, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

²⁷David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: and David had on him an ephod of linen.

²⁸Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.

²⁹It happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

¹They brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

²When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

³He dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

⁴He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord, the God of Israel:

⁵Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to the Lord, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

⁸Oh give thanks to the Lord. Call on his name. Make his doings known among the peoples.

⁹Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works.

¹⁰Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

¹¹Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

¹²Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

¹³you seed of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

¹⁴He is the Lord our God. His judgments are in all the earth.

¹⁵Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

¹⁶the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac.

¹⁷He confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

¹⁸saying, "I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,"

¹⁹when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners were in it.

²⁰They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.

²¹He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

²²"Do not touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!"

²³Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day.

²⁴Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples.

²⁵For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods.

²⁶For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

²⁷Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place.

²⁸Ascribe to the Lord, you relatives of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

²⁹Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the Lord in holy array.

³⁰Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can't be moved.

³¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!"

³²Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is therein!

³³Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

³⁴Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

³⁵Say, "Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise."

³⁶Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, "Amen," and praised the Lord.

³⁷So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required;

³⁸and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;

³⁹and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,

⁴⁰to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded to Israel;

⁴¹and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his loving kindness endures forever;

⁴²and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.

⁴³All the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

¹The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?

²When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

³Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.

⁴One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to see the Lord's beauty, and to inquire in his temple.

⁵For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the covert of his tabernacle he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock.

⁶Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me. I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

⁷Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me.

⁸When you said, "Seek my face," my heart said to you, "I will seek your face, Lord."

⁹Do not hide your face from me. Do not put your servant away in anger. You have been my help. Do not abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation.

¹⁰When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

¹¹Teach me your way, Lord. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.

¹²Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty.

¹³I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

¹⁴Wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord.

¹A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.

²The rich and the poor have this in common: The Lord is the maker of them all.

³A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

⁴The result of humility and the fear of the Lord is wealth, honor, and life.

⁵Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them.

⁶Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

⁹He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor.

¹⁰Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

¹¹He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend.

¹²The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

¹³The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!"

¹⁴The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit: he who is under the Lord's wrath will fall into it.

¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

¹⁶Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

¹⁷Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.

¹⁸For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

¹⁹That your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even you.

²⁰Haven't I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

²¹To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

²²Do not exploit the poor, because he is poor; and do not crush the needy in court;

²³for the Lord will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

²⁴Do not befriend a hot-tempered man, and do not associate with one who harbors anger:

²⁵lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul.

²⁶Do not be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

²⁷If you do not have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

²⁸Do not move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.

²⁹Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won't serve obscure men.