They brought in the ark of God, and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before God.

When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord ;

and he distributed to every person in Israel—man and woman alike—to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

He appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord , to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord , the God of Israel.

Asaph was the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals,

and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly, before the ark of the covenant of God.
David's Psalm of Thanksgiving

Then on that day David first appointed the singing of praises to the Lord by Asaph and his kindred.

O give thanks to the Lord , call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.

Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works.

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually.

Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,

O offspring of his servant Israel, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,

which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.”

When they were few in number, of little account, and strangers in the land,

wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,

he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account,

saying, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

Sing to the Lord , all the earth. Tell of his salvation from day to day.

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

For great is the Lord , and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods.

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

Honor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.

Ascribe to the Lord , O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the Lord in holy splendor;

tremble before him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord is king!”

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it.

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

O give thanks to the Lord , for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.

Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and rescue us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.

Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” Then all the people said “Amen!” and praised the Lord.
Regular Worship Maintained

David left Asaph and his kinsfolk there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required,

and also Obed-edom and his sixty-eight kinsfolk; while Obed-edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were to be gatekeepers.

And he left the priest Zadok and his kindred the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,

to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, according to all that is written in the law of the Lord that he commanded Israel.

With them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to render thanks to the Lord , for his steadfast love endures forever.

Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music, and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

Then all the people departed to their homes, and David went home to bless his household.

Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
David Prepares to Build the Temple

David gave orders to gather together the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God.

David also provided great stores of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing,

and cedar logs without number—for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David.

For David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorified throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.
David's Charge to Solomon and the Leaders

Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord , the God of Israel.

David said to Solomon, “My son, I had planned to build a house to the name of the Lord my God.

But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood in my sight on the earth.

See, a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

He shall build a house for my name. He shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’

Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you.

Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, so that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God.

Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed.

With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone too I have provided. To these you must add more.

You have an abundance of workers: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of artisans without number, skilled in working

gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.”

David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying,

“Is not the Lord your God with you? Has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people.

Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Go and build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.”