A Tent for the Ark (2 Samuel 6:17–19)
1 UDB They brought the sacred chest to Jerusalem and put it inside the sacred tent that David had told his workers to set up. Then they brought offerings to be completely burned on the altar and offerings to enable them to promise friendship with God. BSB BSB: So they brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
2 UDB When David had finished presenting all those offerings, he asked Yahweh to bless the people. BSB BSB: When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.
3 UDB He gave a loaf of bread, some dates, and some raisins to every Israelite man and woman who was there. BSB BSB: Then he distributed to every man and woman of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.
4 UDB Then David appointed some of the descendants of Levi to stand in front of the sacred tent in which the sacred chest had been placed, to lead the people who worshiped and thanked and praised Yahweh, the God of the Israelite people. BSB BSB: David appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.
5 UDB Asaph, who played the cymbals, was their leader. Zechariah was his assistant. The other descendants of Levi who helped Asaph were Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. They played lyres and harps. BSB BSB: Asaph was the chief, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They were to play the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals
6 UDB Benaiah and Jahaziel were priests who blew trumpets frequently in front of the sacred tent in which was the sacred chest. BSB BSB: and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving (Psalm 105:1–15)
7 UDB On that day, David gave to Asaph and his helpers this psalm to praise Yahweh: BSB BSB: On that day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this song of thanksgiving to the LORD:
8 UDB Thank Yahweh and pray to him. Tell the people of all nations what he has done. BSB BSB: “Give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.
9 UDB Sing to him; sing songs to praise him. Tell about all his miraculous deeds. BSB BSB: Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.
10 UDB Be glad that you belong to him. Those who want to know Yahweh better should rejoice. BSB BSB: Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
11 UDB Ask Yahweh to help you and give you his strength, and always seek to be with him! BSB BSB: Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.
12 UDB Do not forget the wonderful things that he has done, the miracles and the just laws that he has decreed for us. BSB BSB: Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,
13 UDB We people are the descendants of his servant Jacob; we are the people of Israel whom he has chosen. BSB BSB: O offspring of His servant Israel, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.
14 UDB Yahweh is our God. His just laws are known by people throughout the world. BSB BSB: He is the LORD our God; His judgments carry throughout the earth.
15 UDB He never forgets the covenants that he has made; he made a promise that will last for a thousand generations. BSB BSB: Remember His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations—
16 UDB That is the covenant that he made with Abraham, and he repeated that covenant to Isaac. BSB BSB: the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.
17 UDB It was a covenant for the Israelite people, and he wanted that covenant to endure forever. BSB BSB: He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18 UDB What he said was, "I will give the region of Canaan to you, to belong to you and your descendants forever." BSB BSB: ‘I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.’
19 UDB When Yahweh's people were only a few in number, a tiny group of people who were living in that land like strangers, BSB BSB: When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,
20 UDB they continued to wander from one place to another, from one kingdom to another. BSB BSB: they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
21 UDB He did not allow others to oppress them, and he warned kings by saying to them, BSB BSB: He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:
22 UDB "Do not harm the people whom I have chosen! Do not harm my prophets!" BSB BSB: ‘Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!’
Sing to the LORD, All the Earth (Psalm 96:1–13)
23 UDB You people throughout the world, sing to Yahweh. Every day, proclaim to others that he has saved us. BSB BSB: Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation day after day.
24 UDB Tell among the nations that he is great; tell all the peoples the marvelous things that he has done. BSB BSB: Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
25 UDB Yahweh is great, and he deserves to be praised very much. He should be revered more than all the gods BSB BSB: For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
26 UDB because all the gods that the other peoples worship are only idols, but Yahweh is truly great; he created the skies. BSB BSB: For all the gods of the nations are idols, but it is the LORD who made the heavens.
27 UDB God shows his splendor and majesty; they shine from where he rules. Strength and beauty are in the place where he lives. BSB BSB: Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy fill His dwelling.
28 UDB You people in nations all over the world, praise Yahweh! Praise Yahweh for his glorious power! BSB BSB: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
29 UDB Praise Yahweh with the glory his name deserves. Come before him with offerings to give to him! Bow down and worship Yahweh because he is holy, and his holiness shines out from him with wonderful beauty. BSB BSB: Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness;
30 UDB Be very afraid in his presence, because he is good and powerful, completely different than you. He put the earth firmly in its place, and nothing will ever be able to move it. BSB BSB: tremble before Him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
31 UDB Everything in the sky and on the earth should be happy. People everywhere should say, "Yahweh is our king!" BSB BSB: Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’
32 UDB The oceans and all the creatures that are in the oceans should shout; the fields and everything in them should rejoice. BSB BSB: Let the sea resound, and all that fills it; let the fields exult, and all that is in them.
33 UDB When they do that, it will be as though the trees in the forest will sing joyfully in front of Yahweh. That will happen when he comes to judge everyone on the earth. BSB BSB: Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth.
34 UDB Thank Yahweh, because everything that he does is good. He faithfully loves us forever. BSB BSB: Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
35 UDB Say to him, "God, you are the one who rescues us, so gather us together and save us from the armies of other nations. When you do that, we will thank you, and we will be happy to praise you." BSB BSB: Then cry out: ‘Save us, O God of our salvation; gather and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise.’
36 UDB Praise Yahweh, the God of us Israelite people. He has always existed, and he will exist forever. After the people finished singing that song, they all said "Amen!" and they praised Yahweh. BSB BSB: Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and “Praise the LORD!”
Worship before the Ark 37 UDB Then David left Asaph and the other members of his clan there in front of the tent in which Yahweh's sacred chest had been placed. He told them that they must do their work there every day. BSB BSB: So David left Asaph and his associates there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to minister there regularly according to the daily requirements,
38 UDB David also left Obed-Edom and sixty-eight other descendants of Levi to work with them. Hosah and Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun guarded the entrances of the sacred tent. BSB BSB: along with Obed-edom and his sixty-eight relatives. Obed-edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were to be gatekeepers.
39 UDB David also told Zadok the high priest and the other priests who worked with him to remain in front of Yahweh's sacred tent, at the place where the Israelite people worshiped Yahweh there in the city of Gibeon. BSB BSB: And David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon
40 UDB Every morning and every evening they burned offerings on the altar, obeying the rules that had been written by Moses, rules that Yahweh had given to the Israelite people. BSB BSB: to regularly present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offerings, morning and evening, according to all that was written in the Law of the LORD, which He had commanded Israel to keep.
41 UDB With them were Heman and Jeduthun and other descendants of Levi. They were chosen to sing songs to praise Yahweh because he faithfully loves his people forever. BSB BSB: With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, for “His loving devotion endures forever.”
42 UDB Heman and Jeduthun were appointed to play the trumpets and cymbals when the other descendants of Levi sang sacred songs. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to guard the gates of the sacred tent. BSB BSB: Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.
43 UDB Then all the people left. They all returned to their homes, and David returned home to ask Yahweh to bless his family. BSB BSB: Then all the people departed for their homes, and David returned home to bless his household.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.