וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וַיַּצִּיגוּ אֹתוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל אֲשֶׁר נָטָה לוֹ דָּוִיד וַיַּקְרִיבוּ עֹלוֹת וּשְׁלָמִים לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים

They brought the Ark of God and positioned it in the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

וַיְכַל דָּוִיד מֵהַעֲלוֹת הָעֹלָה וְהַשְּׁלָמִים וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת־הָעָם בְּשֵׁם ה'

David concluded presenting the burnt offering and the peace offering, and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

וַיְחַלֵּק לְכָל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאִישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ כִּכַּר־לֶחֶם וְאֶשְׁפָּר וַאֲשִׁישָׁה

He distributed to each person of Israel, both men and women, a gift in honor of the great occasion of the arrival of the ark. To each person, all those present, he gave a loaf of bread; and a piece of meat [eshpar], which some say was one-sixth [shishit] of a bull [par]; and a raisin cake, a food or drink made of grapes, or a jug of wine.

וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן ה' מִן־הַלְוִיִּם מְשָׁרְתִים וּלְהַזְכִּיר וּלְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לַה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

He set men, appointed to a permanent position, from among the Levites before the Ark of the Lord, to be servants and to invoke [ulhazkir], or recite a song that causes the memory [mazkir] of Israel to come before God, as it were, or proclaims the deeds of God, and to thank and to praise the Lord, God of Israel. Although the Temple had not yet been built, a sanctified tent already stood; therefore, it was appropriate for men to stand alongside the ark and serve there on a permanent basis.

אָסָף הָרֹאשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵהוּ זְכַרְיָה יְעִיאֵל וּשְׁמִירָמוֹת וִיחִיאֵל וּמַתִּתְיָה וֶאֱלִיאָב וּבְנָיָהוּ וְעֹבֵד אֱדֹם וִיעִיאֵל בִּכְלֵי נְבָלִים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וְאָסָף בַּמְצִלְתַּיִם מַשְׁמִיעַ

These were Asaf the leader, and his deputy Zekharya, and with them Ye’iel, Shemiramot, Yehiel, Matitya, Eliav, and Benayahu; Oved Edom and Ye’iel were playing on lyres and on harps, and Asaf was sounding the cymbals;

וּבְנָיָהוּ וְיַחֲזִיאֵל הַכֹּהֲנִים בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת תָּמִיד לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־הָאֱלֹהִים

Benayahu and Yahaziel the priests were sounding with trumpets continually, before the Ark of the Covenant of God.

בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָז נָתַן דָּוִיד בָּרֹאשׁ לְהֹדוֹת לַה' בְּיַד־אָסָף וְאֶחָיו

On that day David initiated thanking the Lord, meaning that he was the first to recite the song of thanks to God, by means of Asaf and his brethren. It is unclear whether David composed this hymn, or if he merely determined the content of the song or its framework, and one of the singers composed it.

הוֹדוּ לַה' קִרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹ הוֹדִיעוּ בָעַמִּים עֲלִילֹתָיו

The following verses with minor variations appear as part of a longer psalm in the book of Psalms (105): Give thanks to the Lord, call in His name; proclaim His exploits among the peoples.

שִׁירוּ לוֹ זַמְּרוּ־לוֹ שִׂיחוּ בְּכָל־נִפְלְאוֹתָיו

Sing to Him; sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders.

הִתְהַלְלוּ בְּשֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ יִשְׂמַח לֵב מְבַקְשֵׁי ה'

Glory in His sacred name; since Israel is God’s nation, their faith in Him and the blessings they receive from Him are the glorification of God’s name; let the heart of the seekers of the Lord rejoice when they hear all these matters.

דִּרְשׁוּ ה' וְעֻזּוֹ בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָיו תָּמִיד

Search for the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.

זִכְרוּ נִפְלְאֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה מֹפְתָיו ומִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִיהוּ

Remember His wonders that He performed, His marvels, and the judgments of His mouth, those deeds which He commanded us to perform.

זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדּוֹ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב בְּחִירָיו

Descendants of Israel His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones,

הוּא ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ מִשְׁפָּטָיו

He is the Lord our God; His judgments, decrees, are carried out throughout the earth.

זִכְרוּ לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ דָּבָר צִוָּה לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר

Remember His eternal covenant forever, a matter commanded for one thousand generations, for generation after generation;

אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת אֶת אַבְרָהָם ושְׁבוּעָתוֹ לְיִצְחָק

this is the covenant that He first made with Abraham, and it is His oath to Isaac;

וַיַּעֲמִידֶהָ לְיַעֲקֹב לְחֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִית עוֹלָם

He established it, the oath, for Jacob as a fixed statute, for Israel as an eternal covenant,

לֵאמֹר לְךָ אֶתֵּן אֶרֶץ־כְּנָעַן חֶבֶל נַחֲלַתְכֶם

saying: To you will I give the land of Canaan, the tract, portion, of your inheritance. The promise regarding the inheritance of the land was part of the covenant that God made with the patriarchs.

בִּהְיוֹתְכֶם מְתֵי מִסְפָּר כִּמְעַט וְגָרִים בָּהּ

Even while you were a few men, very few, and temporarily residing in it. You were not yet permanent residents of the land, and were few and weak.

וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּ מִגּוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי וּמִמַּמְלָכָה אֶל־עַם אַחֵר

They, your forefathers, went about wandering, from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, within the borders of the Land of Israel, and at times beyond those borders, e.g., when Abraham went to Egypt and to the land of the Philistines.

לֹא־הִנִּיחַ לְאִישׁ לְעָשְׁקָם וַיּוֹכַח עֲלֵיהֶם מְלָכִים

Although they were uprooted strangers, He did not allow any man to exploit them, to cheat or steal from them, and He warned and rebuked kings for their sake, as related with regard to Abraham and Isaac in the incidents involving Pharaoh and Avimelekh. God said to those kings:

אַל־תִּגְּעוּ בִּמְשִׁיחָי וּבִנְבִיאַי אַל־תָּרֵעוּ

Do not touch My anointed ones, whom I anointed to be My princes. Even if they do not appear to be great kings, they are My kings. And do not harm My prophets, the patriarchs, who were also prophets.

שִׁירוּ לַה' כָּל־הָאָרֶץ בַּשְּׂרוּ מִיּוֹם־אֶל־יוֹם יְשׁוּעָתוֹ

These verses also appear, with slight variations, as a separate psalm in the book of Psalms. Sing to the Lord, all the earth; herald His salvation anew daily, each and every day.

סַפְּרוּ בַגּוֹיִם אֶת־כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּכָל־הָעַמִּים נִפְלְאֹתָיו

Relate His glory among the nations; relate His wonders among all the peoples.

כִּי גָדוֹל ה' וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד וְנוֹרָא הוּא עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִים

For the Lord is great and exceedingly praised; He is awesome, lofty and awe evoking, above all gods.

כִּי כָּל־אֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים אֱלִילִים וַה' שָׁמַיִם עָשָׂה

For all the gods of the peoples are no more than idols, an expression of derision and disparagement, indicating they are like toys; but it is the Lord who made the heavens.

הוֹד וְהָדָר לְפָנָיו עֹז וְחֶדְוָה בִּמְקֹמוֹ

Glory and grandeur are before Him; might and joy are in His place.

הָבוּ לַה' מִשְׁפְּחוֹת עַמִּים הָבוּ לַה' כָּבוֹד וָעֹז

Accord to the Lord, families of peoples, accord to the Lord honor and might, or splendor.

הָבוּ לַה' כְּבוֹד שְׁמוֹ שְׂאוּ מִנְחָה וּבֹאוּ לְפָנָיו הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַה' בְּהַדְרַת־קֹדֶשׁ

Accord to the Lord the appropriate honor of His name; bring an offering and come before Him; prostrate yourself to the Lord in the grandeur of holiness.

חִילוּ מִלְּפָנָיו כָּל הָאָרֶץ אַף־תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל בַּל־תִּמּוֹט

Tremble before Him, all dwellers on the earth; indeed, the world will stand firm, not to be moved. The world, which sometimes seems shaky, will stand firm when all its inhabitants honor God and submit to His will. Joy and song will then encompass the entire creation.

יִשְׂמְחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵל הָאָרֶץ וְיֹאמְרוּ בַגּוֹיִם ה' מָלָךְ

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be happy; let them say among the nations: The Lord reigns.

יִרְעַם הַיָּם וּמְלוֹאוֹ יַעֲלֹץ הַשָּׂדֶה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ

Let the sea and that which fills it rage. The sounds of the sea’s waves are perceived as its song. Let the field and everything that is in it exult;

אָז יְרַנְּנוּ עֲצֵי הַיָּעַר מִלִּפְנֵי ה' כִּי בָא לִשְׁפּוֹט אֶת־הָאָרֶץ

then the trees of the forest will sing before the Lord, for, or when, He has come to judge the earth. Even those parts of nature that are not under human control will be filled with joy and excitement when God reveals Himself in the world through His judgment.

הוֹדוּ לַה' כִּי טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ

The end of this song echoes its beginning (verse 8): Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is eternal.

וְאִמְרוּ הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ וְקַבְּצֵנוּ וְהַצִּילֵנוּ מִן־הַגּוֹיִם לְהֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם קָדְשֶׁךָ לְהִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ בִּתְהִלָּתֶךָ

Say: Save us, God of our salvation, and gather us and rescue us from the nations, to give thanks to the name of Your holiness, to be glorified in Your praise.

בָּרוּךְ ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן־הָעוֹלָם וְעַד־הָעֹלָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָל־הָעָם אָמֵן וְהַלֵּל לַה'

Blessed is the Lord, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting, forever. This was David’s song in honor of the arrival of the Ark of God to its permanent abode. All the people said: Amen, and: Praise the Lord.

וַיַּעֲזָב שָׁם לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־ה' לְאָסָף וּלְאֶחָיו לְשָׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן תָּמִיד לִדְבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ

He, David, left Asaf and his brethren there, before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, in order to serve before the ark continually, each day’s work on its day, in accordance with the needs of each day.

וְעֹבֵד אֱדֹם וַאֲחֵיהֶם שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁמוֹנָה וְעֹבֵד אֱדֹם בֶּן־יְדִיתוּן וְחֹסָה לְשֹׁעֲרִים

Oved Edom and their brethren, the singers, were a total of sixty-eight; Oved Edom son of Yeditun, and Hosa were appointed to be gatekeepers,

וְאֵת צָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים לִפְנֵי מִשְׁכַּן ה' בַּבָּמָה אֲשֶׁר בְּגִבְעוֹן

and Tzadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, were those David appointed to serve before the Tabernacle of the Lord in the shrine, a raised spot upon which an altar was erected, that was at Givon, where there was a quasi-temple,

לְהַעֲלוֹת עֹלוֹת לַה' עַל־מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה תָּמִיד לַבֹּקֶר וְלָעָרֶב וּלְ כָל הַכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת ה' אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל

to offer up burnt offerings there to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering continually, morning and evening, in accordance with everything that is written in the Torah of the Lord, which He commanded to Israel. The ark was brought to a more central and dignified place, near the king and his army, and remained there until the building of the Temple. In the meantime, the daily offerings were offered at the central shrine in Givon, where later King Solomon would also present offerings.

וְעִמָּהֶם הֵימָן וִידוּתוּן וּשְׁאָר הַבְּרוּרִים אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת לְהֹדוֹת לַה' כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ

With them, the priests who presented the burnt offerings, were Heiman and Yedutun, and the rest of the selected, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the Lord, for His kindness is eternal. It was their task to sing during the sacrifice of the communal offerings.

וְעִמָּהֶם הֵימָן וִידוּתוּן חֲצֹצְרוֹת וּמְצִלְתַּיִם למַשְׁמִיעִים וּכְלֵי שִׁיר הָאֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי יְדוּתוּן לַשָּׁעַר

The verse reiterates, in greater detail: With them were Heiman and Yedutun, playing and sounding trumpets and cymbals and the rest of the musical instruments for God; the sons of Yedutun did not sing but were appointed to be at the gate.

וַיֵּלְכוּ כָל־הָעָם אִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ וַיִּסֹּב דָּוִיד לְבָרֵךְ אֶת בֵּיתוֹ

When the celebrations concluded, all the people went, each man to his house, and after taking his leave of the people, David turned to bless the members of his household and rejoice with them.