Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar ¹  were priests; Seraiah was scribe;

Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, wrote down what happened. ¹  Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records.

Zadok son of Ahitub and Abimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha ¹  was scribe;

supervised the laborers and all the foremen on their various jobs. ¹  Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and guards.

King Cyrus of Persia entrusted ¹  them to ²  Mithredath ³  the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar ⁴  the leader of the Judahite exiles. ⁵ 

Should he be informed that I want ¹  to speak? If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!

The king says, ¹  “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ²  ‘You are my son! ³  This very day I have become your father!

For the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; ²  a psalm of David. I will thank the Lord with all my heart! I will tell about all your amazing deeds! ³ 

Then I will ¹  tell about all your praiseworthy acts; ²  in the gates of Daughter Zion ³  I will rejoice because of your deliverance.” ⁴ 

For the music director; a psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; ²  the sky displays his handiwork. ³ 

Consider its defenses! ¹  Walk through ²  its fortresses, so you can tell the next generation about it! ³ 

God says this to the evildoer: ¹  “How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant? ² 

You keep track of my misery. ¹  Put my tears in your leather container! ²  Are they not recorded in your scroll? ³ 

They speak sinful words. ¹  So let them be trapped by their own pride and by the curses and lies they speak!

They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. ¹  They plan how to hide ²  snares, and boast, ³  “Who will see them?” ⁴ 

Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God! ¹  I will declare what he has done for me.

For they harass ¹  the one whom you discipline; ²  they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish. ³ 

I will tell about your justice, and all day long proclaim your salvation, ¹  though I cannot fathom its full extent. ² 

But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. ¹  I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as ²  I declare all the things you have done.

we will not hide from their ¹  descendants. We will tell the next generation about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, ²  about his strength and the amazing things he has done.