Introduction

1 Chronicles 15:25—16:7: David and leaders of Israel come to the house of Obed Edom, to retrieve the Covenant Box and hold a great celebration. All the Israelites accompany the Levites who carry the Covenant Box up to Jerusalem with shouts of joy and music.

Today’s Key Verse: 1 Chronicles 15:28

All the Israelites accompanied the Covenant Box up to Jerusalem with shouts of joy, the sound of trumpets, horns, and cymbals, and the music of harps.

Reading

25 So King David, the leaders of Israel, and the military commanders went to the house of Obed Edom to get the Covenant Box, and they had a great celebration. 26 They sacrificed seven bulls and seven sheep, to make sure that God would help the Levites who were carrying the Covenant Box. 27 David was wearing a robe made of the finest linen, and so were the musicians, Chenaniah their leader, and the Levites who carried the Box. David also wore a linen ephod. 28 So all the Israelites accompanied the Covenant Box up to Jerusalem with shouts of joy, the sound of trumpets, horns, and cymbals, and the music of harps.

29 As the Box was being brought into the city, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and leaping for joy, and she was disgusted with him.

16 They took the Covenant Box to the tent which David had prepared for it and put it inside. Then they offered sacrifices and fellowship offerings to God. 2 After David had finished offering the sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed food to them all. He gave each man and woman in Israel a loaf of bread, a piece of roasted meat, and some raisins.

4 David appointed some of the Levites to lead the worship of the Lord, the God of Israel, in front of the Covenant Box, by singing and praising him. 5 Asaph was appointed leader, with Zechariah as his assistant. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel were to play harps. Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and two priests, Benaiah and Jahaziel, were to blow trumpets regularly in front of the Covenant Box. 7 It was then that David first gave Asaph and the other Levites the responsibility for singing praises to the Lord.

Reflect

Based on today’s reading and the preparation details recorded in yesterday’s reading (1 Chronicles 15:1–24), how do you envision the procession as the Covenant Box is brought into Jerusalem? What does David do after offering sacrifices and blessing the people? What types of celebrations take place within your community of faith?

Pray

I sing praises to you, O Lord God, and glorify your holy name. Guide me each day by your Word. May you be praised forever and ever! Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

1 Chronicles 16:8–43: David sings praises to the LORD.