Chronicles: Hezekiah's reform and Passover · The Hallel psalms

2 Chronicles 31 WEB

¹Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, also in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. ²Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the LORD’s camp. ³He also appointed the king’s portion of his possessions for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the LORD’s law. ⁴Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the LORD’s law. ⁵As soon as the commandment went out, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the increase of the field; and they brought in the tithe of all things abundantly. ⁶The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah, also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and laid them in heaps. ⁷In the third month, they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. ⁸When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and his people Israel. ⁹Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. ¹⁰Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, “Since people began to bring the offerings into the LORD’s house, we have eaten and had enough, and have plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.” ¹¹Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the LORD’s house, and they prepared them. ¹²They brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things faithfully. Conaniah the Levite was ruler over them, and Shimei his brother was second. ¹³Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of God’s house. ¹⁴Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper at the east gate, was over the free will offerings of God, to distribute the LORD’s offerings and the most holy things. ¹⁵Under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, to the great as well as to the small; ¹⁶in addition to those who were listed by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the LORD’s house, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions; ¹⁷and those who were listed by genealogy of the priests by their fathers’ houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their divisions; ¹⁸and those who were listed by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation; for in their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness. ¹⁹Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the pasture lands of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name to give portions to all the males among the priests and to all who were listed by genealogy among the Levites. ²⁰Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he did that which was good, right, and faithful before the LORD his God. ²¹In every work that he began in the service of God’s house, in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart and prospered.

Psalms 111–117 WEB

^111:1Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the council of the upright, and in the congregation. ²The LORD’s works are great, pondered by all those who delight in them. ³His work is honor and majesty. His righteousness endures forever. ⁴He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered. The LORD is gracious and merciful. ⁵He has given food to those who fear him. He always remembers his covenant. ⁶He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. ⁷The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure. ⁸They are established forever and ever. They are done in truth and uprightness. ⁹He has sent redemption to his people. He has ordained his covenant forever. His name is holy and awesome! ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

^112:1Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in his commandments. ²His offspring will be mighty in the land. The generation of the upright will be blessed. ³Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever. ⁴Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous. ⁵It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment. ⁶For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever. ⁷He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. ⁸His heart is established. He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries. ⁹He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor. ¹⁰The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.

^113:1Praise the LORD! Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the LORD’s name. ²Blessed be the LORD’s name, from this time forward and forever more. ³From the rising of the sun to its going down, the LORD’s name is to be praised. ⁴The LORD is high above all nations, his glory above the heavens. ⁵Who is like the LORD, our God, who has his seat on high, ⁶who stoops down to see in heaven and on the earth? ⁷He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the needy from the ash heap, ⁸that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. ⁹He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!

^114:1When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language, ²Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. ³The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back. ⁴The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. ⁵What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back? ⁶You mountains, that you skipped like rams? You little hills, like lambs? ⁷Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, ⁸who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.

^115:1Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake. ²Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?” ³But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases. ⁴Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. ⁵They have mouths, but they don’t speak. They have eyes, but they don’t see. ⁶They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell. ⁷They have hands, but they don’t feel. They have feet, but they don’t walk, neither do they speak through their throat. ⁸Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. ⁹Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. ¹⁰House of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. ¹¹You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. ¹²The LORD remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. ¹³He will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great. ¹⁴May the LORD increase you more and more, you and your children. ¹⁵Blessed are you by the LORD, who made heaven and earth. ¹⁶The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of men. ¹⁷The dead don’t praise the LORD, nor any who go down into silence, ¹⁸but we will bless the LORD, from this time forward and forever more. Praise the LORD!

^116:1I love the LORD, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy. ²Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. ³The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow. ⁴Then I called on the LORD’s name: “LORD, I beg you, deliver my soul.” ⁵The LORD is gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful. ⁶The LORD preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me. ⁷Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. ⁸For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. ⁹I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁰I believed, therefore I said, “I was greatly afflicted.” ¹¹I said in my haste, “All people are liars.” ¹²What will I give to the LORD for all his benefits toward me? ¹³I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the LORD’s name. ¹⁴I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people. ¹⁵Precious in the LORD’s sight is the death of his saints. ¹⁶LORD, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant girl. You have freed me from my chains. ¹⁷I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on the LORD’s name. ¹⁸I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people, ¹⁹in the courts of the LORD’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

^117:1Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! ²For his loving kindness is great toward us. The LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!