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thanksgiving processions

Nehemiah 12:27-47

Nehemiah 12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
Nehemiah 12:28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the settlements of the Netophathites,
Nehemiah 12:29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 12:30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the city gates, and the wall.
Nehemiah 12:31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall and appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate.
Nehemiah 12:32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed,
Nehemiah 12:33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
Nehemiah 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,
Nehemiah 12:35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph followed
Nehemiah 12:36 as well as his relatives– Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe went in front of them.
Nehemiah 12:37 At the Fountain Gate they climbed the steps of the city of David on the ascent of the wall and went above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.
Nehemiah 12:38 The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,
Nehemiah 12:39 above the Ephraim Gate, and by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard.
Nehemiah 12:40 The two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials accompanying me,
Nehemiah 12:41 as well as the priests: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
Nehemiah 12:42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader.
Nehemiah 12:43 On that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy. The women and children also celebrated, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away.
Nehemiah 12:44 On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.
Nehemiah 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.
Nehemiah 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were heads of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
Nehemiah 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for Aaron’s descendants.

thanksgiving processions

When they celebrated the dedication of the newly rebuilt wall in Jerusalem, all the leaders were there, and they formed two processions, each headed by a large choir for singing praises. Instead of sitting around congratulating each other on their success, and bragging about their hard work, the leaders spent the day worshipping the LORD who had called them to that work.

LORD, inspire us to magnify you as a response to our successes, because they all come from you.