1 Tawarikh 16:23-33

16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Announce every day ¹  how he delivers!

16:24 Tell the nations about his splendor,

tell ²  all the nations about his miraculous deeds!

16:25 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise,

he is more awesome than ³  all gods.

16:26 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, ⁴ 

but the Lord made the heavens. ⁵ 

16:27 Majestic splendor emanates from him, ⁶ 

he is the source of strength and joy. ⁷ 

16:28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,

ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!

16:29 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves! ⁸ 

Bring an offering and enter his presence!

Worship the Lord in holy attire! ⁹ 

16:30 Tremble before him, all the earth!

The world is established, it cannot be moved.

16:31 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy!

Let the nations say, ¹⁰  ‘The Lord reigns!’

16:32 Let the sea and everything in it shout!

Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!

16:33 Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord,

for he comes to judge the earth!

[16:23]  ¹ tn Heb “from day to day.”

[16:24]  ² tn The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[16:25]  ³ tn Or “feared above.”

[16:26]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew word אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement. Many modern English translations render this term as “idols” here.

[16:26]  ⁵ tn Or “the sky” (also in v. 31). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

[16:27]  ⁶ tn Heb “majesty and splendor [are] before him.”

[16:27]  ⁷ tn Heb “strength and joy [are] in his place.”

[16:29]  ⁸ tn Heb “the splendor of [i.e., due] his name.”

[16:29]  ⁹ tn Or “in holy splendor.”

[16:31]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “let them say among the nations.”