The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph.

古时，在大卫和亚萨的日子，有歌唱的伶长，并有赞美称谢神的诗歌。

古时，在大卫和亚萨的日子，有歌唱者的指挥，也有赞美称谢上帝的诗歌。

古时，在大卫和亚萨的日子，有歌唱者的指挥，也有赞美称谢神的诗歌。

远在大卫和亚萨的时代就有歌乐手，并有赞美、称颂上帝的诗歌。

因为远在大卫和亚萨的时代，已有诗班长，并且有赞美称颂神的诗歌。

古時，在大衛和亞薩的日子，有歌唱的伶長，並有讚美稱謝神的詩歌。

古時，在大衛和亞薩的日子，有歌唱者的指揮，也有讚美稱謝上帝的詩歌。

古時，在大衛和亞薩的日子，有歌唱者的指揮，也有讚美稱謝神的詩歌。

遠在大衛和亞薩的時代就有歌樂手，並有讚美、稱頌上帝的詩歌。

因為遠在大衛和亞薩的時代，已有詩班長，並且有讚美稱頌神的詩歌。

過去時候當大衛和亞薩的日子、有歌唱班長，並有頌讚稱謝上帝的詩歌。

昔在大衛亞薩時、有謳歌者之長、與頌讚稱謝上帝之詩、

昔在大闢亞薩時、謳歌者之長作歌、頌讚上帝、

昔在大衛與亞薩時、有謳歌長司讚美頌揚天主之事、

For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

A long time ago there had been directors for the musicians. There had also been directors for the songs for giving thanks and praise to God. It was in the time of David and Asaph.

For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were heads of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and songs of thanksgiving to God.

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were leaders of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

For in the days of David and Asaph of old[ there were] chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God.

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to praise the Lord with the psalms written by David and by Asaph the seer. So they offered joyous praise and bowed down in worship.

David and the army commanders then appointed men from the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. Here is a list of their names and their work:From the sons of Asaph, there were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. They worked under the direction of their father, Asaph, who proclaimed God’s messages by the king’s orders.From the sons of Jeduthun, there were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six in all. They worked under the direction of their father, Jeduthun, who proclaimed God’s messages to the accompaniment of the lyre, offering thanks and praise to the Lord.From the sons of Heman, there were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s seer, for God had honored him with fourteen sons and three daughters.All these men were under the direction of their fathers as they made music at the house of the Lord. Their responsibilities included the playing of cymbals, harps, and lyres at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman reported directly to the king.They and their families were all trained in making music before the Lord, and each of them— 288 in all— was an accomplished musician.The musicians were appointed to their term of service by means of sacred lots, without regard to whether they were young or old, teacher or student.The first lot fell to Joseph of the Asaph clan and twelve of his sons and relatives. The second lot fell to Gedaliah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The third lot fell to Zaccur and twelve of his sons and relatives.The fourth lot fell to Zeri and twelve of his sons and relatives.The fifth lot fell to Nethaniah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The sixth lot fell to Bukkiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The seventh lot fell to Asarelah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The eighth lot fell to Jeshaiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The ninth lot fell to Mattaniah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The tenth lot fell to Shimei and twelve of his sons and relatives.The eleventh lot fell to Uzziel and twelve of his sons and relatives.The twelfth lot fell to Hashabiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The thirteenth lot fell to Shubael and twelve of his sons and relatives.The fourteenth lot fell to Mattithiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The fifteenth lot fell to Jerimoth and twelve of his sons and relatives.The sixteenth lot fell to Hananiah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The seventeenth lot fell to Joshbekashah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The eighteenth lot fell to Hanani and twelve of his sons and relatives.The nineteenth lot fell to Mallothi and twelve of his sons and relatives.The twentieth lot fell to Eliathah and twelve of his sons and relatives.The twenty first lot fell to Hothir and twelve of his sons and relatives.The twenty second lot fell to Giddalti and twelve of his sons and relatives.The twenty third lot fell to Mahazioth and twelve of his sons and relatives.The twenty fourth lot fell to Romamti ezer and twelve of his sons and relatives.

Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.

O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God.