Nehemiah 12:27-31
27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28 The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.
30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
31 I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks.
So Israel comes together to dedicate the wall. And the whole point of this service of dedication, is the giving over the work of their human hands, to the use purpose and glory of God. To say, “God, this is all about you!”
And they did this through song, procession, worship, celebration, offering sacrifices.
As you read on, you get a picture of what this looked like. Ezra and Nehemiah along with the leaders & Levites march along the walls in worship & celebration.
And they start at the same place, but one group goes to the right and marches along the wall with singing and musical instruments and celebration, and the second group went to the left and marched along the wall doing the same thing
And so there’s this beautiful image of the city of Jerusalem being completely encircled by the praises of God, and the two groups meet up at the Temple, where the dedication and celebration continues.