A song to sing along the road up to Jerusalem

1Yahweh, do not forget King David and all the hardships/troubles he endured!

2He made a solemn promise to you, the mighty God whom our ancestor Jacob worshiped.

3He said, “I will not go home,
I will not rest on my bed,

4I will not sleep at all

5until I build a place for Yahweh, a home for the mighty God whom Jacob worshiped.”

6In Bethlehem we heard news about the sacred chest. We went and found it in the fields of Jearim city, and we took it to Jerusalem.

7Later we said, “Let’s go to the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem; let’s worship there in front of the throne where he sits.”

8Yahweh, come to the place where you live eternally, to the place where your sacred chest is,
to that place that shows that you are very powerful.

9I want/desire that the righteous behavior of your priests will always be evident, just like the beautiful robes that they wear [MET], and that your people will always shout joyfully.

10You chose David to serve you as king of Israel; do not reject/abandon him!

11Yahweh, you made a solemn promise to David, a promise that you will not break. You said, “I will cause your descendants to rule [MTY] as kings like you.

12If they keep my agreement with them
and obey all the commands that I will give them, the line of kings descended from you will never end.”

13Yahweh has chosen Jerusalem;
he has wanted to make that city his home;

14he said, “This is the city where I will live forever [DOU]; this is the place where I wanted to stay.

15I will give to the people of Jerusalem all that they need; I will give enough food even to satisfy the poor people there.

16I will cause the priests to behave in a manner worthy of being ones whom I have saved; that will be as evident as the beautiful robes that they wear [MET];
and all my people who live there will shout joyfully.

17There in Jerusalem I will cause one of David’s descendants [MET] to become a great king; he also will be my chosen king, and he will be like a bright lamp [MET] that shines continually.

18I will defeat his enemies and cause them to be very ashamed/disgraced; but the crown that my king wears will always shine.”