Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all! In your hand is power and might! It is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all! Now therefore, our God, we thank you, and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and we have given you of your own. For we are strangers before you, and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining. Yahweh our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes from your hand, and is all your own. I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you. Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you; and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.”
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1 Chronicles 29:10-19 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Then the princes of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly; and they gave for the service of God’s house of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand darics, of silver ten thousand talents, of bronze eighteen thousand talents, and of iron one hundred thousand talents. People with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of Yahweh’s house, under the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to Yahweh; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all! In your hand is power and might! It is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all! Now therefore, our God, we thank you, and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and we have given you of your own. For we are strangers before you, and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining. Yahweh our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes from your hand, and is all your own. I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you. Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you; and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.”
Parallel Translations
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Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all! In your hand is power and might! It is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all!
Now therefore, our God, we thank you, and praise your glorious name.
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and we have given you of your own.
For we are strangers before you, and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining.
Yahweh our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes from your hand, and is all your own.
I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you.
Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you;
and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.”
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Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.
Show all 3 translations
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Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation; and David said: 'Blessed be Thou, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honour come of Thee, and Thou rulest over all; and in Thy hand is power and might; and in Thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name.
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee.
For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding.
O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build Thee a house for Thy holy name cometh of Thy hand, and is all Thine own.
I know also, my God, that Thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now have I seen with joy Thy people, that are present here, offer willingly unto Thee.
O LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever, even the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people, and direct their heart unto Thee;
and give unto Solomon my son a whole heart, to keep Thy commandments, Thy testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made, provision.'
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (177)
- Hebrews 1:3 (v11) His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had…
- 1 Timothy 1:17 (vv10–11) Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Daniel 4:34-35 (v11) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High,…
- Jude 1:25 (v11) to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
- Revelation 5:12-13 (v11) saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and…
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- Isaiah 12:4 (v11) In that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name. Declare his doings among the peoples. Proclaim that his name is exalted!
- Jeremiah 27:5 (v11) ‘I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give…
- Revelation 11:15 (v11) The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and…
- Psalms 46:10 (v11) “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”
- Revelation 7:9-12 (v11) After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and…
- Revelation 4:10-11 (v11) the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns…
- Daniel 4:3 (v11) How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation.
- Revelation 19:1 (v11) After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory…
- Genesis 1:1 (v11) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
- Psalms 99:1 (v11) Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.
- James 1:17 (vv14, 19) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning…
- Psalms 145:1 (v11) I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.
- Ephesians 3:16 (v12) that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner…
- Psalms 29:4 (v11) Yahweh’s voice is powerful. Yahweh’s voice is full of majesty.
- Isaiah 66:1 (v11) Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build to me? Where will I rest?
- Deuteronomy 8:18 (v12) But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore…
- 2 Chronicles 20:6 (v12) and he said, “Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and…
- Psalms 21:13 (v11) Be exalted, Yahweh, in your strength, so we will sing and praise your power.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5 (v14) not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,
- 1 Timothy 6:15-16 (v11) which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. He alone has immortality,…
- Psalms 97:1 (v11) Yahweh reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad!
- Psalms 145:12-13 (v11) to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your…
- Isaiah 42:5 (v11) God Yahweh, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives…
- Jeremiah 10:10-12 (v11) But Yahweh is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to…
- Daniel 6:26 (v12) “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; “for he is the living God, and…
- Philippians 4:13 (v12) I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
- 1 Samuel 15:29 (v11) Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
- Job 37:22 (v11) Out of the north comes golden splendor. With God is awesome majesty.
- Psalms 45:3-4 (v11) Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty. In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth,…
- Psalms 104:1 (v11) Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.
- Isaiah 2:10-11 (v11) Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man will…
- Romans 11:35-36 (v12) “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?” For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To him be the…
- Romans 11:36 (v14) For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
- Ephesians 3:20 (v12) Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
- Colossians 1:11 (v12) strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy,
- Psalms 57:5 (v11) Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth!
- Psalms 57:11 (v11) Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.
- Psalms 97:9 (v11) For you, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods.
- Psalms 98:1 (v11) Sing to Yahweh a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
- Jeremiah 17:10 (v17) “I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
- Genesis 14:19 (v11) He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.
- Genesis 14:22 (v11) Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
- 2 Chronicles 1:12 (v12) therefore wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I will give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have…
- Nehemiah 9:5 (v11) Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless Yahweh…
- Psalms 47:9 (v11) The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is…
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 (v14) He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in…
- Leviticus 25:23 (v15) “ ‘The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me.
- Psalms 50:10-12 (v14) For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of…
- Psalms 102:11 (v15) My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.
- Psalms 115:1 (v14) Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake.
- Psalms 115:15-16 (v11) Blessed are you by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth. The heavens are Yahweh’s heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of men.
- Psalms 144:4 (v15) Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.
- Isaiah 40:29 (v12) He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
- Ephesians 1:3 (v10) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
- 1 Chronicles 28:9 (vv17–19) You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all…
- 1 Chronicles 29:9 (vv14, 17) Then the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to Yahweh; and David the king…
- Genesis 32:10 (v14) I am not worthy of the least of all the loving kindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my…
- Job 9:19 (v12) If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
- Job 14:2 (v15) He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
- Psalms 39:12 (v15) “Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers…
- Psalms 68:34-35 (v12) Ascribe strength to God! His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies. You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of…
- Psalms 72:1 (v19) God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.
- Psalms 75:6-7 (v12) For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation. But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts…
- Psalms 106:1 (v13) Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
- Psalms 113:7-8 (v12) He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap, that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his…
- Proverbs 10:22 (v12) Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
- Proverbs 11:20 (v17) Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.
- Ecclesiastes 5:19 (v12) Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in…
- Daniel 4:32 (v11) You shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen. Seven times…
- Matthew 6:13 (v11) Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’
- Romans 1:7 (v10) to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (v14) For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God. But by the grace…
- 2 Corinthians 9:15 (v13) Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!
- Philippians 2:13 (v14) For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
- James 4:14 (v15) Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time, and…
- 1 Peter 1:3 (v10) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope…
- Revelation 5:12 (v10) saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and…
- Revelation 11:17 (v12) saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power and reigned.
- 1 Chronicles 29:14 (v16) But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and we have given…
- Psalms 90:9 (v15) For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh.
- Psalms 119:19 (v15) I am a stranger on the earth. Don’t hide your commandments from me.
- Psalms 144:1-2 (v12) Blessed be Yahweh, my rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to battle: my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my…
- Psalms 146:2 (v10) While I live, I will praise Yahweh. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
- Proverbs 8:18 (v12) With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
- Isaiah 40:6-8 (v15) The voice of one saying, “Cry!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.…
- Isaiah 43:13 (v12) Yes, since the day was, I am he. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?”
- Isaiah 45:24 (v12) They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in Yahweh.’ ” Even to him will men come. All those who raged against him…
- Isaiah 46:10 (v12) I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all…
- Isaiah 63:16 (v10) For you are our Father, though Abraham doesn’t know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, Yahweh, are our Father. Our Redeemer from…
- Jeremiah 32:39 (v18) I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their good, and the good of their children after them.
- Ezekiel 3:12 (v10) Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, “Blessed be Yahweh’s glory from his place.”
- Matthew 6:9 (v10) Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
- Matthew 28:18 (v12) Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
- Luke 1:51-53 (v12) He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down princes from their…
- Luke 11:3 (v10) Give us day by day our daily bread.
100 distinct cross-references across this passage (177 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (21 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv10, 14, 15, 18 Which didst reveal thyself to our father Jacob.
Which didst reveal thyself to our father Jacob.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv10–19 1Ch 29:10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all…
1Ch 29:10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed [be] thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
Ver. 10. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation.] Though he was neither priest nor Levite. It is no disparagement to the greatest to perform service to the Most High in the great congregation.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power,…
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, i.e. thou art great and powerful, &c.
As head above all; as the sovereign Lord and Owner of all persons and things.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v10 We have here,
We have here,
I. The solemn address which David made to God upon occasion of the noble subscriptions of the princes towards the building of the temple (Ch1 29:10): Wherefore David blessed the Lord, not only alone in his closet, but before all the congregation. This I expected when we read (Ch1 29:9) that David rejoiced with great joy; for such a devout man as he would no doubt make that the matter of his thanksgiving which was so much the matter of his rejoicing. He that looked round with comfort would certainly look up with praise. David was now old and looked upon himself as near his end; and it well becomes aged saints, and dying saints, to have their hearts much enlarged in praise and thanksgiving. This will silence their complaints of their bodily infirmities, and help to make the prospect of death itself less gloomy. David's psalms, toward the latter end of the book, are most of them psalms of praise. The nearer we come to the world of everlasting praise the more we should speak the language and do the work of that world. In this address,
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1. He adores God, and ascribes glory to him as the God of Israel, blessed for ever and ever. Our Lord's prayer ends with a doxology much like this which David here begins with - for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory. This is properly praising God - with holy awe and reverence, and agreeable affection, acknowledging, (1.) His infinite perfections; not only that he is great, powerful, glorious, etc., but that his is the greatness, power, and glory, that is, he has them in and of himself, Ch1 29:11. He is the fountain and centre of every thing that is bright and blessed. All that we can, in our most exalted praises, attribute to him he has an unquestionable title to. His is the greatness; his greatness is immense and incomprehensible; and all others are little, are nothing, in comparison of him. His is the power, and it is almighty and irresistible; power belongs to him, and all the power of all the creatures is derived from him and depends upon him. His is the glory; for his glory is his own end and the end of the whole creation. All the glory we can give him with our hearts, lips, and lives, comes infinitely short of what is his due. His is the victory; he transcends and surpasses all, and is able to conquer and subdue all things to himself; and his victories are incontestable and uncontrollable. And his is the majesty, real and personal; with him is terrible majesty, inexpressible and inconceivable. (2.) His sovereign dominion, as rightful owner and possessor of all: "All that is in the heaven, and in the earth, is thine, and at thy disposal, by the indisputable right of creation, and as supreme ruler and commander of all: thine is the kingdom, and all kings are thy subjects; for thou art head, and art to be exalted and worshipped as head above all." (3.) His universal influence and agency. All that are rich and honourable among the children of men have their riches and honours from God. This acknowledgment he would have the princes take notice of and join in, that they might not think they had merited any thing of God by their generosity; for from God they had their riches and honour, and what they had returned to him was but a small part of what they had received from him. Whoever are great among men, it is God's hand that makes them so; and, whatever strength we have, it is God that gives it to us, as the God of Israel our father, Ch1 29:10. Psa 68:35.
2. He acknowledges with thankfulness the grace of God enabling them to contribute so cheerfully towards the building of the temple (Ch1 29:13, Ch1 29:14): Now therefore, our God, we thank thee. Note, The more we do for God the more we are indebted to him for the honour of being employed in his service, and for grace enabling us, in any measure, to serve him. Does he therefore thank that servant? Luk 17:9. No: but that servant has a great deal of reason to thank him. He thanks God that they were able to offer so willingly. Note, (1.) It is a great instance of the power of God's grace in us to be able to do the work of God willingly. He works both to will and to do; and it is in the day of his power that his people are made willing, Psa 110:3. (2.) We must give God all the glory of all the good that is at any time done by ourselves or others. Our own good works must not be the matter of our pride, nor the good works of others the matter of our flattery, but both the matter of our praise; for certainly it is the greatest honour and pleasure in the world faithfully to serve God.
3. He speaks very humbly of himself, and his people, and the offerings they had now presented to God. (1.) For himself, and those that joined with him, though they were princes, he wondered that God should take such notice of them and do so much for them (Ch1 29:14): Who am I, and what is my people? David was the most honourable person, and Israel the most honourable person, then in the world; yet thus does he speak of himself and them, as unworthy the divine cognizance and favour. David now looks very great, presiding in an august assembly, appointing his successor, and making a noble present to the honour of God; and yet he is little and low in his own eyes: Who am I, O Lord? for (Ch1 29:15) we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, poor despicable creatures. Angels in heaven are at home there; saints on earth are but strangers here: Our days on the earth are as a shadow. David's days had as much of substance in them as most men's; for he was a great man, a good man, a useful man, and now an old man, one that lived long and lived to good purpose: and yet he puts himself not only into the number, but in the front, of those who must acknowledge that their days on the earth are as a shadow, which intimates that our life is a vain life, a dark life, a transient life, and a life that will have its periods either in perfect light or perfect darkness. The next words explain it: There is no abiding, Heb. no expectation. We cannot expect any great matters from it, nor can we expect any long continuance of it. This is mentioned here as that which forbids us to boast of the service we do to God. Alas! it is confined to a scantling of time, it is the service of a frail and short life, and therefore what can we pretend to merit by it? (2.) As to their offerings, Lord, says he, of thy own have we given thee (Ch1 29:14), and again (Ch1 29:16), It cometh of thy hand, and is all thy own. "We have it from thee as a free gift, and therefore are bound to use it for thee; and what we present to thee is but rent or interest from thy own." "In like manner" (says bishop Patrick) "we ought to acknowledge God in all spiritual things, referring every good thought, good purpose, good work, to his grace, from whom we receive it." Let him that glories therefore glory in the Lord.
4. He appeals to God concerning his own sincerity in what he did, Ch1 29:17. It is a great satisfaction to a good man to think that God tries the heart and has pleasure in uprightness, that, whoever may misinterpret or contemn it, he is acquainted with and approves of the way of the righteous. It was David's comfort that God knew with what pleasure he both offered his own and saw the people's offering. He was neither proud of his own good work nor envious of the good works of others.
5. He prays to God both for the people and for Solomon, that both might hold on as they began. In this prayer he addresses God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a God in covenant with them and with us for their sakes. Lord, give us grace to make good our part of the covenant, that we may not forfeit the benefit of it. Or thus: they were kept in their integrity by the grace of God establishing their way; let the same grace that was sufficient for them be so for us. (1.) For the people he prays (Ch1 29:18) that what good God had put into their minds he would always keep there, that they might never be worse than they were now, might never lose the convictions they were now under, nor cool in their affections to the house of God, but always have the same thoughts of things as they now seemed to have. Great consequences depend upon what is innermost, and what uppermost, in the imagination of the thoughts of our heart, what we aim at and what we love to think of. If any good have got possession of our hearts, or the hearts of our friends, it is good by prayer to commit the custody of it to the grace of God: "Lord, keep it there, keep it for ever there. David has prepared materials for the temple; but, Lord, do thou prepare their hearts for such a privilege;" establish their hearts, so the margin. "Confirm their resolutions. They are in a good mind; keep them so when I am gone, them and theirs for ever." (2.) For Solomon he prays (Ch1 29:19), Give him a perfect heart. He had charged him (Ch1 28:9) to serve God with a perfect heart; now here he prays to God to give him such a heart. He does not pray, "Lord, make him a rich man, a great man, a learned man;" but, "Lord, make him an honest man;" for that is better than all. "Lord, give him a perfect heart, not only in general to keep thy commandments, but in particular to build the palace, that he may do that service with a single eye." Yet his building the house would not prove him to have a perfect heart unless he made conscience of keeping God's commandments. It is not helping to build churches that will save us if we live in disobedience to God's law.
II. The cheerful concurrence of this great assembly in this great solemnity. 1. They joined with David in the adoration of God. When he had done his prayer he called to them to testify their concurrence (Now bless the Lord your God, Ch1 29:20), which accordingly they did, by bowing down their heads, a gesture of adoration. Whoever is the mouth of the congregation, those only have the benefit who join with him, not by bowing down the head so much as by lifting up the soul. 2. They paid their respects to the king, looking upon him as an instrument in God's hand of much good to them; and, in honouring him, they honoured God. 3. The next day they offered abundance of sacrifices to God (Ch1 29:21), both burnt-offerings, which were wholly consumed, and peace-offerings, which the offerer had the greatest part of to himself. Hereby they testified a generous gratitude to God for the good posture their public affairs were in, though David was going the way of all the earth. 4. They feasted and rejoiced before God, Ch1 29:22. In token of their joy in God, and communion with him, they feasted upon their peace-offerings in a religious manner before the Lord. What had been offered to God they feasted upon, by which was intimated to them that they should be never the poorer for their late liberal contributions to the service of the temple; they themselves should feast upon the comfort of it. 5. They made Solomon king the second time. He having been before anointed in haste, upon occasion of Adonijah's rebellion, it was thought fit to repeat the ceremony, for the greater satisfaction of the people. They anointed him to the Lord. Magistrates must look upon themselves as set apart for God, to be his ministers, and must rule accordingly in the fear of God. Zadok also was anointed to be priest in the room of Abiathar, who had lately forfeited his honour. Happy art thou, O Israel! under such a prince and such a pontiff.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv10–19 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation,....…
Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation,.... To whose goodness he ascribed both the ability and willingness of him, and his people, to offer after such a manner; he knew it was God that wrought in them both to will and to do, and therefore gave him the glory of it:
and David said, blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our Father, for ever and ever; the phrase, "our father", does not belong to the God of Israel, their father by covenant and adoption, but to Israel, or Jacob, the ancestor of the Jewish nation; who is made mention of on this occasion, he being the first that spoke of building an house for God, as some Jewish writers, Jarchi and Kimchi, observe, see Gen 28:22.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv10, 14, 15, 16, 18 Blessed, &c. - David was now full of days,…
Blessed, &c. - David was now full of days, and near his end, and it well becomes the aged children of God, to have their hearts much enlarged in praise and thanksgiving. The nearer we come to the land of everlasting praise, the more we should speak the language, and do the work of that world.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv11, 14, 15, 18, 19 Verse 11. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness] This…
Verse 11. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness] This verse is thus paraphrased by the Targum: "Thine, O Lord, is the magnificence; for thou hast created the world by thy great power, and by thy might hast led our fathers out of Egypt, and with great signs hast caused them to pass through the Red Sea. Thou hast appeared gloriously on Mount Sinai, with troops of angels, in giving law to thy people. Thou hast gained the victory over Amalek; over Sihon and Og, kings of Canaan. By the splendour of thy majesty thou hast caused the sun to stand still on Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Ajalon, until thy people, the house of Israel, were avenged of their enemies. All things that are in heaven and earth are the work of thy hands, and thou rulest over and sustainest whatsoever is in the heavens and in the earth. Thine, O Lord, is the kingdom in the firmament; and thou art exalted above the heavenly angels, and over all who are constituted rulers upon earth."
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 1Ch 29:10-11. David said, Blessed, &c. — David was…
1Ch 29:10-11. David said, Blessed, &c. — David was now full of days, and near his end, and it well becomes the aged children of God to have their hearts much enlarged in praise and thanksgiving. The nearer we come to the land of everlasting praise, the more we should speak the language and do the work of that world. Thine is the greatness and the power, &c. — Thus David praises God with holy awe and reverence, acknowledging and adoring, 1st, His infinite perfections; not only that he is great, powerful, and glorious, &c., but that his is the greatness, power, and glory; that he has these perfections in and of himself, and is the centre and fountain of every thing that is excellent and blessed. 2d, His sovereign dominion, that he is the rightful owner and almighty possessor of all. All that is in heaven and in earth is thine — And at thy disposal, by the indisputable right of creation, and as Supreme Ruler and Commander of all. Thine is the kingdom — And all kings are thy subjects; and thou art to be exalted and worshipped as head above all — 3d, His universal influence and agency. All that are rich and honourable among mankind have their riches and honours from God. This acknowledgment David would have the princes to take notice of, and join in, that they might not think they had merited any thing of God by their generosity; for from God they had had their riches and honour, and what they had returned to him was but a small part of what they had received from him. Whoever are great among men, it is God that makes them so; and whatever strength we have, it is God that gives it us. Let no flesh, then, glory in his presence; for of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever! Amen.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v18 Keep this forever ... - i. e., “Preserve forever…
Keep this forever ... - i. e., “Preserve forever this spirit of liberal and spontaneous giving in the hearts of Thy people, and establish their hearts toward Thee.”
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18 From. Septuagint, "from age to age;" (Pagnin, &c.) that…
From. Septuagint, "from age to age;" (Pagnin, &c.) that is, throughout eternity: (Menochius) "for ever and ever." (Protestants) Eternity has no parts. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv10, 16 HIS THANKSGIVING. (1Ch. 29:10-25)
HIS THANKSGIVING. (1Ch. 29:10-25)
Wherefore David blessed the Lord--This beautiful thanksgiving prayer was the effusion overflowing with gratitude and delight at seeing the warm and widespread interest that was now taken in forwarding the favorite project of his life. Its piety is displayed in the fervor of devotional feeling--in the ascription of all worldly wealth and greatness to God as the giver, in tracing the general readiness in contributing to the influence of His grace, in praying for the continuance of this happy disposition among the people, and in solemnly and earnestly commending the young king and his kingdom to the care and blessing of God.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv15, 18 15. None abiding — Hebrew, no hope; that is,…
15. None abiding — Hebrew, no hope; that is, no confidence or certain assurance of continuing long on earth.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19 10–19. The Blessing of David
10–19. The Blessing of David
11. thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all] Render, Thine, is the kingdom, O LORD, and thine it is to be exalted as head over all.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–19 (10) Wherefore.—And. David’s Prayer (1Ch_29:10-19). David thanks God because…
(10) Wherefore.—And. David’s Prayer (1Ch_29:10-19). David thanks God because his people are at one with him on the subject nearest his heart. Touching this fine utterance of a true inspiration, which the chronicler—or rather, perhaps, his authority—puts into the mouth of the aged king, we may remark that the spirit which found expression in the stirring odes of psalmists and the trumpet-tones of prophets in olden times, in the latter days, when psalmody was weak and prophecy dead, flowed forth in the new outlet of impassioned prayer.
Before all.—To the eyes of all (Gen_23:11), and frequently.
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Lord God of Israel our rather.—The connection is “Israel our father,” not “Jehovah our father.” (Comp. 1Ch_29:18; 1Ch_29:20; Exo_3:6. Yet comp. also Isa_63:16; Isa_64:8; Deu_32:6; Mal_1:6; Mal_2:10; Jer_31:9.) The fatherhood of God, though thus occasionally affirmed in prophetic writings, hardly became a ruling idea within the limits of Old Testament times. (Comp. Mat_23:9; Mat_6:9.)
For ever and ever.—From eternity even unto eternity. (Comp. the doxologies of the first and third books of the Psalter—Psa_41:13; Psa_106:48—and Psa_103:17.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv10, 15, 17, 18, 19 Vers. 10-20. The majesty and comprehensiveness of this passage…
Vers. 10-20. The majesty and comprehensiveness of this passage a national liturgy of itself-are in direct proportion to the brevity of it. It includes adoration, acknowledgment of the inherent nature of human dependence, self-humiliation, and confession, dedication of all the offerings, and prayer both for the whole people in general, and for Solomon in particular, in view of his future position and responsibilities. Its utter repudiation of all idea of meritoriousness is very striking. The traces are visible of what may be called snatches of memory on the part of David from various religious odes of his own authorship, as well as from those of others still on record, as, for instance, especially in vers. 14-17, compared with passages in Ps 24 Ps 50 Psa_89:39 Ps 90 Ps 102 Ps 144; and Ps 139. But the unity of this service is abundantly conspicuous, and every sentence seems weighed and measured for the occasion. The scene, reaching its climax in what is recorded in ver. 20, must have been one of the utmost religious grandeur and impressiveness. It is true that the very last clause, which couples the reverence done on the part of the assembled multitude to the king, with that done to Jehovah himself, strikes us as an unfortunate conjunction. It does not, indeed, need upon its merits any vindication, considering the tenor of all which has preceded; but it may be felt an extenuation of the form in which the expression occurs, if we suppose (as we justly may) that the people viewed their act in the light of part of their religious service at that particular time. In 1Ki_1:31 the same words express the reverence paid to David, though in numerous other passages they mark that offered to God (Exo_4:31; 2Ch_29:20; Neh_8:6)
Vers. 10-20.
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The last thanksgiving of the royal life in its varied elements.
Perhaps David had been in some doubt as to how his address would be received. If received favourably, he may have been in doubt as to the practical response to it for which his heart longed. And even if of this also he felt he might make quite sure, yet there was the hour of his own last great effort now past. That effort had been made with whatever demand on body and mind went along with it, and the suspense is over. Great hearts alone can know great joys. There are few greater joys than are found in relief from the strain of anxiety, from the burden of long preparation, and the Conscious weight of responsibility. But when the natural welling up of joy from such causes coincides with an unparalleled success, and this in matter of religious moment, then every possible element seems present. And a good heart gives itself up to a transport, which can find no sympathetic expression but at the foot of the throne of thrones itself. And hither does David now betake himself; but not alone hither he leads also a nation. These verses contain more than thanksgiving. They may, however, be appropriately enough called the service of thanksgiving. And the service appropriates in impartial measures the characteristics of majesty and comprehensiveness. Here are unqualified thanksgiving, profound adoration, the confession of creature dependence, and the humiliation befitting it; here are meditation and reminiscence, and all symptom of moral sympathies in strongest activity; here is petition, fervent petition, for the present and for the long future of the palace, the people, and the son himself of David. The opening sentence of this service gives its key-note and bespeaks its main design. In its rich variety, however, as a whole, let us notice
I ITS STATELY ASCRIPTION. "Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever? What words can do they are intended here to do. They sometimes do the more for their fewness, and they are few here. This word "blessed," when applied to the Divine Personage, is a picked, choice, word of the spiritual vocabulary that is open to a creature approaching the Creator. It is the word of highest and most refined effort. Human exclamation has done its best, has touched its highest note, when, having passed through thanks, gratitude, praise, glorifying, magnifying, and, if there be any other, it soars on this note, and rests and poises itself as it were on this note: "Blessed be thou, Lord God." The soul that has striven to give his due to the Lord God, yet striven too anxiously in vain, flings itself on that one remaining word, and, lost in admiration, it breathes the simplicity and sincerity of an impassioned genuine fervour into it, and must be content. This word "blessed," when applied to the Divine Being, is confessedly a familiar one to our ear, to our lip; but, if estimated by the freight it contained now, has contained times without number, and may this day contain, it is one owning to priceless sacredness and beauty. And it is this, not so much for what it speaks, but for the fact that when first speech most fails, it comes the only volunteer to bear Heavenward what we mean. Note, again, the telling accompaniments of this ascription in the time-view of it.
1. It stretches backward to the birth of the favoured and now enrapt people, "Lord God of Israel our Father.
2. It stretches forward, far, far further, "Forever and ever.
II ITS ADORING ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD"S SOVEREIGN, UNIVERSAL PROPRIETORSHIP. To give to God his own even in language is a thing often forgotten. Thought is careless to do it. Faith is sleepy to do it. Aspiration"s effort is weak on wing to try it. Men grovel in the use of even the infinitesimally small, and forsake the mighty inspiration of the mere attempt at a survey of all. But what source of comfort and of undelusive strength it should be for the creature to rehearse to himself the infinite fulness, the glorious riches of his Maker, Father, God! That the contrast should seem appalling, great even to overwhelming, is not the just and legitimate result of the meditation and acknowledgment. To be timid, anxious, uncertain, is the portion for those who know not on what they have to depend, or who do know that he on whom they depend has himself but impoverished means! But the weakest creature is strong, comforted, blessed, whose eye of faith surveys this wealth of possession, these boundless surroundings of the supreme Being. Yes; we leave unsaid, unthought, the exalting sovereign truth now (as fully as it is simply) recited by David and his people. "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine band it is to make great, and to give strength unto all." We may distinguish in the beautiful riches of this descriptive and this majestically picturesque sketch of the infinite Being:
1. The intrinsic attributes given to him.
2. The absolute universal possession perceived in him.
3. His position and consequent active rule.
4. His bestowments of such things as "riches and honour.
5. His bestowments of such other more intrinsic vital gifts, as "to make great" and "to give strength," There are gifts for the hand, but there are other gifts for the very springs of one"s own life .
These assimilate, as it were, with our spontaneous force, and the human then shows more or less Divine. God owns all; and great is the all which he owns. And he gives. He is not more adorable for the all that he has than he is for the all that he gives. And it is very interesting to observe, as by the help of this passage, how difficult is it to divorce the possessing of God from his bestowing all creation itself, the overflowing of his fulness.
III ITS SIMPLEST PRONOUNCED THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. When the adoring ecstasy is passed, then reason and justice, though on the humblest scale, are to resume their place, and the creature, debt of thanks and praise is to be paid, sacredly, simply paid, with the lip. To this David leads his people with himself: "Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious Name.
IV ITS UNQUALIFIED DISCLAIMER OF ALL MERIT ON THE PART OF KING AND PEOPLE. To not a rag of self-righteousness will David permit the whole gathering of his nation to lay claim. Have they given? they have given what was first given to themselves. Have they given heartily? they have given to the Giver himself. There has been no merit in their doings. No; nor can there be any meritoriousness about themselves. For what are they? There is not the substance in them of which merit could be made, nor the root to them of which it could grow, nor the continuance belonging to them by which it might ripen. Their life, their home, themselves, are all dependent just on mercy, and their hopes lie in infinite loving-kindness. And it was the same with their fathers before them. To such material and such a history merit cannot find where to attach.
V ITS UNFALTERING APPEAL TO CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY. David disclaims all merit, but he claims confidently before the all-seeing, the heart-searching One, his own "uprightness," i.e. pure motive and sincere zeal. Few things have owned to more various quality under one face than the profession of zeal for the glory of God. Religious zeal O, no doubt, religious zeal, but nine-tenths of what is named religious zeal is a far different thing. It is the hybrid ecclesiastical zeal. And ecclesiastical zeal is not merely a thing very inferior always, but often absolutely antagonistic to the genuine thing, religious zeal. That David protests his own zeal and heartfelt pleasure in the great work of the temple-building may seem unnecessary, and his object in doing so may seem somewhat obscure. Yet probably all found here is true to nature. First, he could not be wrong in formally dedicating at this time, with express rehearsal of it, his own work and his own giving to God. But further, as we shall see, his doing so may have been the suggestion of what he brings next into prominence. That is in reality grafted upon his own enterprise and is best introduced by it.
VI ITS EMPHATIC EXPRESSION OF A DELIGHTED AND UNUSUAL SYMPATHY Some of the most subtle flattery that the human heart offers to itself, and then most eagerly receives, consists in its very ready assumption of moral.and spiritual superiority. The Pharisee, as portrayed by the master Limner himself of human characters, is never extinct. But in form less gross, in effect more insidious, the essence of the Pharisaic spirit perpetually reappears to some degree or other, and in some form or other. To affect a zeal for the good and the right, an appreciation of them, a sympathy with them far in excess of those of others, is a common foible, ay, a vice of the pseudo-spiritual. Nor are there wanting instances where the spread of knowledge, of presentation of facts, in a word, of legitimate inducement, are suppressed, lest an enthusiasm now confined to one or a very few should become general, and lest an envious distinction should be forfeited, born of singularity alone. Sincerity"s death-knell is sounding then most surely. But now, if David recite his own zeal, and appeal to the all-searching One to see and try it, he does so in truth to pave the way for delighted and sympathetic celebration of the facts that so many are "like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one. (Php_2:3) To witness the indications of a right state of heart in others, and to witness them with unaffected joy, mark the life of holy sympathies, and the health of one"s own spiritual state. The Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, (Rom_1:32) speaks of it as the direst condemnation of certain that they "not only do" things of the worst moral significance (which might possibly be done. under the force of strong present temptation), but that they also "have pleasure m them that do them. St. Paul is there stigmatizing certain immoral sympathies, as marking the depths of deepest degradation. On the other hand, we are prone to slight the value of intense moral sympathies with goodness. But in fact, the presence of these measures the real strength of a new nature very accurately. And the example of David invites our notice of them here. He brings into special prominence the right feeling and the right doing of the people, and utters his own unfeigned joy because of them.
VII ITS APPROPRIATE AND EARNEST PRAYER. All will fail if it be not "sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer." Feeling, purpose, aspiration, and the right beginning of doing may yet all fall through. Promise may soon die off, or it may die off somewhat later. Only it will die off, unless there be given to it from above the needed element of perpetuity. How much there is of the future of ourselves, and of those unspeakably dear to us, which we relegate to the mere domain of hope, flattering, fond, frail, false hope! We do so often with mistaken humility., under the impression that we can do nothing else for the future, that we must not allow excessive anxiety about it, that "Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof." But we are then forgetting the force of prayer, and that it is largely of its nature and privilege to "reach a hand through time to catch a far-off interest." David offers prayer, and the right prayer. Had his nation but lived by that prayer, their grandeur would have survived, an unparalleled grandeur, to this day. Notice, therefore, in the prayer:
1. How David makes this the One burden of it that the thing of rightpresent appearance and of happy promise may be "for ever," may be "stablished," may be "kept.
2. How he asks that this perpetuity may be derived from deepest source,"the imagination of the thoughts of the heart;" "the stablished heart;" "the perfect heart.
3. How he invokes God by the titles that might by supposed most to moveDeity, and most to call his children trustfully and gratefully to his feet. Many a temple, palace, castle, would we build; for many such would we "make provision." But they never are builded. And they are not builded because we forget that "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build." And we have left unmade the most necessary "provision" of all, if we have forgotten to sanctify our enterprise by submitting it to the "Lord God of our fathers" and of ourselves, and begging him to give of his own stability and enduringness to those whose hands are to build.
VIII ITS CLOSE, HEARD AMID THE ECHOES OF ONE UNANIMOUS OUTBURST OF PURE ADORATION. It may be reverently said that the abdicating king abdicating because he was abdicating the present life the word, and great Was the company of them that published it. "The "word" consisted of a summons to "bless the Lord God." And that word was heard and obeyed by the vast throng. Though many an occasion may invite large numbers of mankind to unite to one end, yet in no one employment could the vast family of man so justly, so enthusiastically unite as in a "work and worship so Divine" as here described. Are we not here studying a "type" indeed? Do we not listen herein to rehearsal of what some day even if "far off, at last Heaven shall listen to, as it arises from earth, and of what earth itself shall raise, when earth itself is raised to heaven? So this service ended. So we believe the service of earth will end; and so that of heaven begin, never, never to end. God shall be all and in all. He shall be to each and to all the eternal All in all. Oh for the dawning of that moment when, at the signal of an inner impulse, the innumerable congregation itself shall fall prostrate in irrepressible adoring, and as though snatching at this word, "Now bless the Lord your God"!
Vers. 10-19.
David"s blessing.
One of the closing acts of David"s life was a public acknowledgment of God"s favour, and a public entreaty of God"s blessing upon his people and upon his son. It was a sacred and solemn act of devotion, and only inferior in sublimity to the invocation and prayer of Solomon upon the occasion of the dedication of the temple. The aged king acted, not only as the civil ruler, but as the religious leader of Israel. Gathering the princes, the warriors, and the multitude together, he, as their representative, offered spiritual sacrifices of adoration, thanksgiving, and prayer before Israel"s God. We observe, in this address to Heaven, a combination of the several parts of which devotion should be composed.
I THE RECOGNITION OF THE DIVINE CHARACTER. In vers. 11 and 12 the attributes of Jehovah are celebrated with devout reverence, and in language of memorable beauty and eloquence. The propriety of such an invocation is manifest. When we draw near to God, it is not simply to bring our sin and want before him; it is to bring his holiness and greatness and beneficence before our minds. The Lord Jesus, in the prayer known as the Lord"s Prayer, has given us an example of such adoration; for the petitions are prefaced by a reverent invoking of the Divine Father.
II THE BLESSING OF GOD"S NAME. The contemplation of God"s power, majesty, and dominion fails to produce its due result, unless it awakens our hearts to grateful praise. Ver. 13, "We thank thee, and praise thy glorious Name." Prayer without thanksgiving cannot be acceptable; what God has done, what he has given, must be acknowledged by those who have fresh favours to implore.
III HUMILIATION AND CONFESSION. The language of vers. 14 and 15 is marvellous for sublimity and pathos, has wrought itself into the speech and the prayers of men. Feeble, finite, dependent, and short-lived denizens of earth, when we come into the presence of the Unchangeable and Eternal, it becomes us to cherish a sense of our utter unworthiness. We cannot even undertake to engage in the service of God without feeling that for that service we are altogether unfit. Confession of sin and humiliation before the All-holy must be part of all truly acceptable devotion.
IV INTERCESSION. In ver. 18 David prays for Israel at large; in ver. 19 for his son Solomon. For his people the king"s chief desire was that the Lord would "prepare their heart unto himself." Their allegiance to Heaven, their spiritual good, their qualification for whatever work God should call them to undertake, such were the blessings the aged king sought on behalf of his subjects. And for his son, how earnestly and appropriately did he plead! His prayer was that Solomon"s character and his lifework might alike be acceptable to God. A prayer so comprehensive, so devout, so suited to the circumstances in which it was uttered, surely deserves the attentive study of those who would draw near to God in such a spirit as may justify the expectation that he will draw near to them. T. Vers. 10-22.
Rejoicing before God.
The verses present to us a scene of sacred joy. Israel had seen and would see few happier days than this, and its joy was godly. David"s end drew near, and they might, as patriots, have entertained some very serious anxieties as to the future of their country. But all these, if such there were, were forgotten in the joy of devoting themselves to the service of God by large contributions to the house which was soon to rise. Concerning this sacred gladness, we remark
I THAT IT RESTED ON CONSCIOUSNESS OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY, and belief in the integrity of others (ver. 17). if we realize that God is one who "tries the heart, and has pleasure in uprightness," we shall not venture to rejoice if we have not within us that sense of spiritual rectitude which will allow us to say with David, "As for me, in the uprightness of my heart," etc.; with Paul, "I have kept the faith;" with John, "If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God". (1Jn_3:21) If we rejoice as those who are members of a community (family, Church, or nation), we must also believe that our fellows also are right in the sight of the heart-searching One, even as David was able to add, "Thy people which are present here.
II THAT IT WILL BE ACCOMPANIED WITH A SENSE OF OUR OWN LITTLENESS AND UNWORTHINESS. (Vers. 14, 15.) Whatever angelic, heavenly piety may be, that of man on earth always includes humility. In the conscious presence of God we must feel our own nothingness; the exceeding smallness of our brief span of life, "We are strangers before thee and sojourners," etc.; our unworthiness to do anything for the holy and eternal One, "Who am I," etc.? The sense of our own insignificance and ill desert is one of those marks of genuineness which we should see with satisfaction in ourselves and others, the absence of which may well lead us to ask serious questions as to the genuineness of our piety.
III THAT IT UTTERS ITSELF IN ADORATION. (Vers. 11, 12.) There are no nobler words in which human reverence has found expression before the Divine Sovereign than these. We do not care to analyze them; we use them; we take them on to our own lips as we find them; they perfectly voice our own hearts" homage. All joy before God should, be profoundly reverential, and here David gives it simple but admirable utterance.
IV THAT IT EXPRESSES ITSELF IN THANKSGIVING, and in thankful acknowledgment (vers. 10, 13, 16, 20). David himself "before all the congregation" (ver. 10), and then at his desire all the congregation itself, "blessed the Lord God of their fathers" (ver. 20); he and they thanked and praised him (ver. 13). David freely and frankly acknowledged that, in giving to God, they were but presenting to him that which was his own: "Of thine own have we given thee" (ver. 14). When we contribute to the cause of God we should bear in mind that God claims all that we have; that at any time he may be pleased to resume it; that we do but willingly make over to some special work of his that which he has entrusted to us for his glory and the well-being of his children.
V THAT IT FINDS AMPLE ROOM FOR PRAYER. (Vers. 18, 19.) In the midst of our gratitude and joy we remember our dependence on God. And this is no jarring note; it does not anywise detract from our thankfulness or our gladness of heart. Let praise always pass into prayer, both for ourselves and (as here) for others, and especially for those whose youth or other insufficiency makes them to be peculiarly in need of help from above.
VI THAT IT ENDS IN CONSECRATION AND COMMUNION. (Vers. 21, 22.) The whole scene ended in burnt offerings and peace offerings, in sacrifice and sacred festivity. Our piety finds its worthiest expression in devoting ourselves and our substance to the cause and kingdom of Christ, and also in communion with our Lord and with one another. C.
Vers. 10-24.
David"s prayer and blessing.
In this blessing we observe how everything is ascribed to God greatness, power, glory, victory, majesty, riches, honour, the kingdom; all are his and from him. What an exalted view of God is here! And there follows that which always follows on man"s side, "humility" (vers. 14-16). God"s greatness bows down the soul in conscious littleness. We are "strangers," "sojourners;" our days a" shadow" and" none abiding." In order, then, to be humble, we should ever have God"s greatness and God"s grace filling the soul The eye on God, and there is no room for the creature but in the dust. David"s prayers close with one for the people (ver. 18) and one for Solomon (ver. 19). He prays for the congregation, that God would keep them ever in this frame of heart, viz. of willing, joyful, whole-hearted surrender of themselves and all they had to him; and also that their hearts might be ever set towards God himself. For Solomon he prays that God would give him an undivided heart. And this whole-heartedness would show itself first in relation to God and his truth keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, thy statutes, and to do all these things;" and secondly, "to build the palace for the which I have made provision." This is ever the Divine order in David"s mindGod and his truth first, and the work of God next. And finally, he calls upon the whole assembly to praise the Lord, which they did, bowing before the Lord and the king, and worshipping. In order to seal their confession thus made in word and deed, they proposed a great feast on the following day, consisting of a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with drink offerings and thank offerings to correspond. Thus ended the consecration, the prayer and praise, viz. in joy and "great gladness." These are ever the results, and there never wilt be joy and gladness in the Lord without them. W.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv10, 14, 15, 18 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation.
1Ch_29:10-20
Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation.
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The last thanksgiving
Every sentence weighed and measured for the occasion.
I. The infinite perfections of God.
1. God in His unspeakable grandeur.
2. God in His universal dominion.
3. God in His absolute ownership.
4. God in His covenant relation.
5. God in His goodness to men.
II. The peculiar relations of man to the infinite God.
1. Man is a dependent creature. Who am I?
(1) Dependent for substance to give.
(2) Dependent for the disposition to give it.
(3) Therefore indebted to God for all things.
2. Man is a short-lived creature.
3. Mans conduct is observed by God. (J. Wolfendale.)
Davids thanksgiving
1. Its adoration of God.
2. Its acknowledgment of dependence upon Him.
3. Its recognition of the influence of His grace.
4. Its solemn appeal to conscious integrity.
5. Its earnest prayer for king and people. (J. Wolfendale.)
The reciprocal influence of mind upon mind in worship
In this address of the venerable King of Israel to the Omnipotent Sovereign of the world, the natural influence of one mind upon another, the secret but powerful sympathy of similar affections in the devout congregation combine with his own grateful dispositions to enlarge his conceptions and to bring forth the most affecting description of the excellences of the great object of their common homage. You cannot but have observed and felt an influence of this kind, and been moved by the affections of others, especially when they corresponded with the condition of your own hearts. You have felt auger, joy, or grief insinuate themselves into your minds from the expression of them in others; and you have seen these affections increased in them by the mutual sympathy of your feelings. How often has the rage of an individual, expressed by the fiery glance of his eye, the fierceness of his countenance, and the shrillness of his tones, with the force and quickness of lightning inflamed a multitude, and exasperated their headstrong passions. With what glowing delight has an assembly been filled by the joyful countenance, the cheerful glance, the eloquent tones of a happy friend. How often has the melancholy, downcast look, or the tender tear of an interesting mourner, covered the face of the beholder with like pensive sadness, and infused into your bosom sorrows not your own. This reciprocal impression of the affections of the heart must hold equally true in the worship of the Supreme, as in the intercourse of common life. (Anon.)
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power.--
Gods supreme dominion and universal authority
I. The supreme authority and dominion of the ever-blessed God. God, under every possible consideration, must be supreme. As, therefore, He must be supreme, so must He reign over all (Rom_9:5). God has an absolute right, not only to claim allegiance from all, but to dispose of all according to His own will and pleasure. Every part of Gods Word teems with His glorious sovereign authority.
1. Witness a few confessions. Text. Solomon (1Ki_8:22-23; 2Ch_6:14); Hezekiah (2Ki_19:14-19); Jehoshaphat (2Ch_20:3-12); the Levites (Neh_9:4-6); the Lords Prayer (Mat_6:13); Paul (Eph_1:3-6; 1Ti_1:11-17); Jude (verses 20-25).
2. How the Lord asserts and claims this glorious prerogative as peculiar to Himself (Deu_32:39-43; Isa_40:25-26; Isa_41:14-16; Isa_42:5-8; Isa_43:15-17; Jer_5:20-25; Dan_7:13-14).
II. The nature of this supreme dominion and sovereign authority. Observe--
1. Negatively. It is not--
(1) A deputed and delegated authority.
(2) An assumed or usurped authority.
(3) An arbitrary authority.
2. Positively.
(1) It is universal.
(2) Equitable.
(3) Irresistible.
(4) Everlasting.
III. The aspect in which it is to be viewed by us.
1. As a most glorious doctrine.
2. As a most humiliating doctrine.
3. As a most alarming doctrine.
4. As a most encouraging doctrine.
5. As a most invigorating and establishing doctrine. (R. Shittler.)
The Divine greatness and beneficence
We have in these words a confession--
I. Of the Divine sovereignty.
II. Of the Divine power.
III. Of the Divine beneficence. (J. Johnson Cort, M. A.)
Davids thanksgiving
I. The occasion. David, in a general assembly of his people, moves them to contribute towards the building of the temple, and encourages them by his own example. They contribute willingly and liberally. Reckoning a talent of silver at £375, and a talent of gold at £4,500, what they offered amounted to above twenty-six millions of pounds sterling (besides the ten thousand drams of gold, the other metals, and precious stones), which, with what David gave himself out of his private treasury, being above sixteen millions more, makes a vast sum. For this he and the people rejoice. He blesses and praises God, not because they had so much, but because they had hearts to lay out so much for God and His worship. To have much may be a curse and a snare, but to have a heart to employ it for God is a far more blessed thing than to keep it, or gain it, or any way to receive it (Act_20:25).
II. The mode or form of his praising God. It is an ascribing all excellences to Him. True praising or blessing of God consists in acknowledging that to be Gods which is His. When Christ taught His disciples how to pray and how to praise God, this is the mode of praising Him (Mat_7:18): Thine is, etc. After the same manner does David here praise Him. (D. Clarkson.)
For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine.--
The Lord is the owner of all things
I. What evidence there is in scripture for the Lords title to all things.
1. Those things are His which we have in common with others.
(1) The world in general (Psa_50:1 or Psa_24:1? Misprint in original text.);
(2) heaven (Psa_89:11);
(3) the sea (Psa_95:5);
(4) the earth (Exo_19:5);
(5) everything in the earth (Deu_10:14).
2. Those things are His which we think to be properly ours. We may be proprietors in respect of men, so far as none of them may be able to produce any good title or lay any just claim to what we have; but we are no proprietors in reference to God.
(1) Lands (Lev_25:28);
(2) the fruits of the land (Hos_2:9); and cattle (Psa_50:10-11);
(3) money and clothes (Hag_2:8; 1Ch_29:14; 1Ch_29:16);
(4) our children (Eze_16:20-21);
(5) ourselves (1Co_6:19; Psa_100:3);
(6) our bodies (1Co_6:20);
(7) our souls (Eze_18:4; 1Co_6:19-20).
II. What is the foundation of the Lords title to a propriety in all things? He that gave to all their being is clearly the owner of all (Psa_89:11-12).
1. He made all for Himself, not for the pleasure of another, as the Israelites wrought for Pharaoh.
2. He made all things of nothing.
3. He made all without the help or concurrence of any other.
4. He upholds all things in the same manner as He created.
III. The nature and quality of this propriety.
1. He is the primary and original owner of all. His title and propriety is underived.
2. He is the absolute owner of all, without any condition or limitation.
3. He is the principal owner. All others that have right to anything have it under Him, and in subordination to Him, and are tied to acknowledge it by doing Him service for whatever they have.
4. He is total owner of all. When David gave the possession mentioned (2Sa_19:29) between Ziba and Mephibosheth, they had a joint interest therein, so Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah would have had in the navy and adventure if they had joined their ships according to the proposal (1Ki_22:49). But none has a joint interest with God.
5. He is the perpetual owner of all.
6. He is transcendently the owner of all. He has the greatest right to them. He has more right to all than we have to anything.
7. He is the sole owner of all things.
Use 1. Of information.
(1) Herein we may discern the greatness of the Lord whom we serve and whose we are.
(2) This may inform us that the Lord hath a right to deal with us or any creature as He will.
Use 2. For exhortation. This truth suggests many duties of greatest moment and consequence.
(1) Thankfulness. Whatsoever we have that is good is from Him, and not only the substance, but every degree of it.
(2) Self-surrender.
(3) Improving all we have for God.
(4) Patience.
(5) Humility.
(6) Self-denial.
If God be the owner of all things, He is the owner of us; if He be the owner of us, we are not to own ourselves, and not to own ourselves is to deny ourselves.
We must deny ourselves--
(a) As to our judgments, We must give up ourselves to the conduct of that judgment which is laid down in Scripture, that which is called the mind of the Lord.
(b) As to our wills. The will of the Lord must be our will.
(c) As to our ends. The pleasing, and honouring, and enjoying God is the only end we should propose to ourselves, either in holy duties or worldly business.
(d) As to our interests. If God be our owner, we ought to own and mind His interest and none else.
(e) As to our business and employments. The example of Christ (Luk_2:19; Joh_4:34; Joh_9:4).
(f)
As to our possessions. We ought to look upon all we possess as the Lords and not ours.
Use 3. For encouragement.
I. This truth affords encouragement in those special cases which are most apt to trouble and deject you. He can supply all your need.
(1) Want you wealth, or what you judge to be a competency? (1Ch_29:12). All the riches of the world are in His hands, and He can dispose thereof to whom and in what proportion He sees good (2Co_9:8; Php_4:19).
(2) Want you authority to countenance and secure you? (1Ch_29:11). He has the disposing of it all.
(3) Want you victory over enemies, those that afflict and oppress your souls? The Lord can give it you; it is His own.
(4) Want you strength, outward or inward, to do, or to suffer, or to resist? This He can also give you, for it is all His own (1Ch_29:12).
(5) Want you wisdom? (Jam_1:5).
(6) Want you gifts or other graces, or a greater measure of them? (Jam_1:17).
(7) Want you comfort? (2Co_1:3).
(8) Want you friends? All the friends in the world are but cyphers to Him.
2. There is encouragement to undergo or undertake anything for God which He calls you to. He is the owner of all things, and so has enough to requite you, to reward you, if all that is in heaven and in earth be enough to do it. (D. Clarkson.)
Divine ownership
Gods ownership is--
1. Universal.
2. Absolute.
3. Eternal. From this ownership we infer--
I. The absolute supremacy of God. He who owns all has a right--
1. To bestow on any creature whatever He pleases.
2. To withdraw from any creature in any way or at any time whatever He thinks best. The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away.
II. The moral obligation of man. What is that?
1. To obey His will in everything.
2. To be animated by supreme gratitude. (Homilist.)
Thine is the kingdom, O Lord.--
The kingdom of God
I. Thine, O Lord, is the kingdom. What kingdom?
1. The kingdom of nature, with all its productions and materials.
2. The kingdom of providence. As He made all, so His care extends to all.
3. The kingdom of grace. This is a kingdom within the kingdom of nature and providence. It is a mediatorial, a spiritual empire, which is designed to establish the peculiar reign of God, not only over men, but in them.
II. The glory of this kingdom. This is seen--
1. In its Sovereign--the Lord Jesus.
2. In its universality.
3. In its prospect (Dan_2:44; Dan_7:13-14).
4. In its subjects: The excellent of the earth.
5. its privileges: Eye hath not seen, etc.
(1) Peace.
(2) Liberty: The glorious liberty of the sons of God.
(3) Plentitude: The Lord of hosts makes unto all people a feast of fat things, etc. My God shall supply all your need, etc. (W. Jay, M. A.)
And in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
The nature of true greatness
I. What is the nature of true greatness? The scriptural idea of greatness is essentially different from that which is formed by the world.
1. To a few names the world has by general consent appended the title of the Great--Alexander, Constantine, Napoleon. These were great men with little aims. Self was the beginning and end of all their plans and labours. Their greatness was like a tree of ample trunk and wide-extended foliage, not spreading a beneficent shade, but distilling a deadly poison on all beneath, and thus killing its own roots and insuring its own decay.
2. A higher order of worldly greatness is that which consists purely in exalted genius and great intellectual power, whatever be the form of its manifestation. This form of greatness has been generally beneficent in its influence. Still it is in itself incomplete and unfinished.
3. The greatness of the Bible is a holy greatness. The fear of God is the source of its wisdom; the love of God is the spring of its activity; the glory of God is the end of its enterprises and labours.
II. This greatness is a proper object of aspiration and pursuit.
1. Man was made for this greatness. He is born great. Great powers, great duties, great expectancies, a great sphere of action, great hopes and promises, are his. If he becomes little, it is by his own fault and sin.
2. The Word of God exhorts us to it, calls us to glory as well as to virtue.
3. We are taught that there will be a distinction in the rewards of eternity, graduated to the different degrees of merit and earnestness in the service of God in the present life.
4. The examples of Scripture are justifications of the highest aim. All history besides contains no such list of heroes as Heb_11:1-40.
III. The source of this greatness. All things are of God. Even the worlds heroes have felt and acknowledged this. If it is in Gods hands to make great--
1. Then He is to be acknowledged and adored as the author of all the endowments of men.
2. What must be the guilt of those who have perverted and abused their talents to spread disorder, pollution, and misery among His moral subjects!
3. Their greatness is to be solicited and expected from Him.
4. From Him we must derive our idea of greatness. This He has revealed to us--
(1) In His Word.
(2) In the life of Christ. (John Proudfit, D. D.)
The agency of God in human greatness
I. God makes men great by bestowing upon them distinguished genius and talents. Some of the courtiers of the Emperor Sigismund, who had no taste for learning, inquired why he so honoured and respected men of low birth on account of their science. The emperor replied, In one day I can confer knighthood or nobility on many; in many years I cannot bestow genius on one. Wise and learned men are created by God only.
II. God makes men great by an education, and by events in life suited to discover, to excite, to encourage, to improve, and to direct their talents. The most luxuriant soil, when uncultivated, often becomes wild and barren, while a soil less favourable richly recompenses the seed sown, and the labours of the husbandman.
1. Early instruction and discipline correct the blemishes, brighten the polish, and increase the excellences of genius.
2. The friends and companions of our early youth contribute not a little to the strengthening and improving our natural talents.
3. Favourable providences expand the faculties, call forth exertions, and discover the extent of talents, which otherwise might have lain dormant, or shone with less lustre. Erpinius the critic, was first stimulated to a proper improvement of his time and talents by looking into Fortius Ringelbergiuss treatise on study Franklin was similarly affected by an essay of Dr. Cotton Mathers, on doing good. Great occasions produce great talents. A Frederic and a Washington might have lived obscure, and died forgotten, had the time, place, and circumstances which called forth their abilities been different.
III. It is God who implants dispositions, and excites to conduct, which enable men to improve their natural abilities, and providential opportunities and advantages for becoming great. Exercise and activity marvellously improve and increase talents, comparatively small. God makes men great by influencing their tempers and enabling them to govern their spirits and conduct their lives by the rules of reason and religion.
IV. God makes men great by bringing them into difficult and trying situations, which exercise and manifest the greatness of their disposition and talents.
V. God makes men great by rendering the exercise of their talents acceptable and useful.
VI. It is God who assigns to the great the sphere of their greatness.
VII. In the hand of God it is to limit the duration of human greatness.
Conclusion: Address--
1. Those whom the hand of God hath made great. God made you great for the general good, and not merely for your own pleasure or profit. Distinguished talents were bestowed that, with success, you might guide others to wisdom, to religion, and happiness.
2. Those whom a scanty measure of natural talents or acquired accomplishments confines to a lower and more ignoble and laborious line of life. Beware of envy and discontent. (J. Erskine, D. D.)
All strength is from God
All Christians, in themselves, are but vessels, poor fragile things, just like earthen pitchers. We should be worthless, only God puts His life into our hearts. And this becomes part of the good news of Christ. It brings the happy assurance to every heart who hears it that even a child may be a vessel to carry the power of God. Weak people, little people, fragile people, God uses them all. God can fill the weakest and most fragile with strength for His work. He asks also that the heart may receive His life. The outside may be no better than earthenware, but inside there will be an excellent light and power of God. (D. Macleod.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v10 IN order to do justice to the chroniclers method…
THE LAST PRAYER OF DAVID
1Ch_29:10-19
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IN order to do justice to the chroniclers method of presenting us with a number of very similar illustrations of the same principle, we have in the previous book grouped much of his material under a few leading subjects. There remains the general thread of the history, which is, of course, very much the same in Chronicles as in the book of Kings, and need not be dwelt on at any length. At the same time some brief survey is necessary for the sake of completeness and in order to bring out the different complexion given to the history by the chroniclers alterations and omissions. Moreover, there are a number of minor points that are most conveniently dealt with in the course of a running exposition.
The special importance attached by the chronicler to David and Solomon has enabled us to treat their reigns at length in discussing his picture of the ideal king; and similarly the reign of Ahaz has served as an illustration of the character and fortunes of the wicked kings. We therefore take up the history at the accession of Rehoboam, and shall simply indicate very briefly the connection of the reign of Ahaz with what precedes and follows. But before passing on to Rehoboam we must consider "The Last Prayer of David," a devotional paragraph peculiar to Chronicles. The detailed exposition of this passage would have been out of proportion in a brief sketch of the chroniclers account of the character and reign of David, and would have had no special bearing on the subject of the ideal king. On the other hand, the "Prayer" states some of the leading principles which govern the chronicler in his interpretation of the history of Israel; and its exposition forms a suitable introduction to the present division of our subject.
The occasion of this prayer was the great closing scene of Davids life, which we have already described. The prayer is a thanksgiving for the assurance David had received that the accomplishment of the great purpose of his life, the erection of a temple to Jehovah, was virtually secured. He had been permitted to collect the materials for the building, he had received the plans of the Temple from Jehovah, and had placed them in the willing hands of his successor. The princes and the people had caught his own enthusiasm and lavishly supplemented the bountiful provision already made for the future work. Solomon had been accepted as king by popular acclamation. Every possible preparation had been made that could be made, and the aged king poured out his heart in praise to God for His grace and favor.
The prayer falls naturally into four subdivisions: 1Ch_29:10-13 are a kind of doxology in honor of Jehovah; in 1Ch_29:14-16 David acknowledges that Israel is entirely dependent upon Jehovah for the means of rendering Him acceptable service; in 1Ch_29:17 he claims that he and his people have offered willingly unto Jehovah; and in 1Ch_29:18-19 he prays that Solomon and the people may build the Temple and abide in the Law.
In the doxology God is addressed as "Jehovah, the God of Israel, our Father," and similarly in 1Ch_29:18 as "Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel." For the chronicler the accession of David is the starting-point of Israelite history and religion, but here, as in the genealogies, he links his narrative to that of the Pentateuch, and reminds his readers that the crowning dispensation of the worship of Jehovah in the Temple rested on the earlier revelations to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.
We are at once struck by the divergence from the usual formula: "Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob." Moreover, when God is referred to as the God of the Patriarch personally, the usual phrase is "the God of Jacob." The formula, "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel," occurs again in Chronicles in the account of Hezekiahs reformation; it only occurs elsewhere in the history of Elijah in the book of Kings. {1Ki_18:36} The chronicler avoids the use of the name "Jacob," and for the most part calls the Patriarch "Israel." "Jacob" only occurs in two poetic quotations, where its omission was almost impossible, because in each case "Israel" is used in the parallel clause. {1Ch_16:13; 1Ch_16:17 Gen_32:28} This choice of names is an application of the same principle that led to the omission of the discreditable incidents in the history of David and Solomon. Jacob was the supplanter. The name suggested the unbrotherly craft of the Patriarch. It was not desirable that the Jews should be encouraged to think of Jehovah as the God of a grasping and deceitful man. Jehovah was the God of the Patriarchs nobler nature and higher life, the God of Israel, who strove with God and prevailed. In the doxology that follows the resources of language are almost exhausted in the attempt to set forth adequately "the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty the riches and honor the power and might," of Jehovah These verses read like an expansion of the simple Christian doxology, "Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory," but in all probability the latter is an abbreviation from our text. In both there is the same recognition of the ruling omnipotence of God; but the chronicler, having in mind the glory and power of David and his magnificent offerings for the building of the Temple, is specially careful to intimate that Jehovah is the source of all worldly greatness: "Both riches and honor come of Thee and in Thy hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all."
The complementary truth, the entire dependence of Israel on Jehovah, is dealt with in the next verses. David has learnt humility from the tragic consequences of his fatal census; his heart is no longer uplifted with pride at the wealth and glory of his kingdom; he claims no credit for the spontaneous impulse of generosity that prompted his munificence. Everything is traced back to Jehovah: "All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee." Before, when David contemplated the vast population of Israel and the great array of his warriors, the sense of Gods displeasure fell upon him; now, when the riches and honor of his kingdom were displayed before him, he may have felt the chastening influence of his former experience. A touch of melancholy darkened his spirit for a moment; standing upon the brink of the dim, mysterious Sheol, he found small comfort in barbaric abundance of timber and stone, jewels, talents, and darics; he saw the emptiness of all earthly splendor. Like Abraham before the children of Heth, he stood before Jehovah a stranger and a sojourner. {Gen_23:4; Cf. Psa_34:13; Psa_119:19} Bildad the Shuhite had urged Job to submit himself to the teaching of a venerable orthodoxy, because "we are of yesterday and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow." {Job_8:9} The same thought made David feel his insignificance, in spite of his wealth and royal dominion: "Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding."
He turns from these somber thoughts to the consoling reflection that in all his preparations he has been the instrument of a Divine purpose, and has served Jehovah willingly. Today he can approach God with a clear conscience: "I know also, my God, that Thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things." He rejoiced, moreover, that the people had offered willingly. The chronicler anticipates the teaching of St. Paul that "the Lord loveth a cheerful giver." David gives of his abundance in the same spirit in which the widow gave her mite. The two narratives are mutually supplementary. It is possible to apply tile story of the widows mite so as to suggest that God values our offerings in inverse proportion to their amount. We are reminded by the willing munificence of David that the rich may give of his abundance as simply and humbly and as acceptably as the poor man gives of his poverty.
But however grateful David might be for the pious and generous spirit by which his people were now possessed, he did not forget that they could only abide in that spirit by the continued enjoyment of Divine help and grace His thanksgiving concludes with prayer. Spiritual depression is apt to follow very speedily in the train of spiritual exaltation; days of joy and light are granted to us that we may make provision for future necessity.
David does not merely ask that Israel may be kept in external obedience and devotion: his prayer goes deeper. He knows that out of the heart are the issues of life, and he prays that the heart of Solomon and the thoughts of the heart of the people may. be kept right with God. Unless the fountain of life were pure, it would be useless to cleanse the stream. Davids special desire is that the Temple may be built, but this desire is only the expression of his loyalty to the Law. Without the Temple the commandments, and testimonies, and statutes of the Law could not be rightly observed. But he does not ask that the people may be constrained to build the Temple and keep the Law in order that their hearts may be made perfect; their hearts are to be made perfect that they may keep the Law.
Henceforward throughout his history the chroniclers criterion of a perfect heart, a righteous life, in king and people, is their attitude towards the Law and the Temple. Because their ordinances and worship formed the accepted standard of religion and morality, through which mens goodness would naturally express themselves. Similarly, only under a supreme sense of duty to God and man may the Christian willingly violate the established canons of religious and social life.
We may conclude by noticing a curious feature in the wording of Davids prayer. In the nineteenth, as in the first, verse of this chapter the Temple, according to our English versions, is referred to as "the palace." The original word bira is probably Persian, though a parallel form is quoted from the Assyrian. As a Hebrew word it belongs to the latest and most corrupt stage of the language as found in the Old Testament; and only occurs in Chronicles, Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel. In putting this word into the mouth of David, the chronicler is guilty of an anachronism, parallel to his use of the word "darics." The word bira appears to have first become familiar to the Jews as the name of a Persian palace or fortress in Susa; it is used in Nehemiah of the castle attached to the Temple, and in later times the derivative Greek name Baris had the same meaning. It is curious to find the chronicler, in his effort to find a sufficiently dignified title for the temple of Jehovah, driven to borrow a word which belonged originally to the royal magnificence of a heathen empire, and which was used later on to denote the fortress whence a Roman garrison controlled the fanaticism of Jewish worship. The chroniclers intention, no doubt, was to intimate that the dignity of the Temple surpassed that of any royal palace. He could not suppose that it was greater in extent or constructed of more costly materials; the living presence of Jehovah was its one supreme and unique distinction. The King gave honor to His dwelling-place.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v10 Note the order:
blessed
Note the order:
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1Ch 29:3-8, giving, 1Ch 29:9, joy, 1Ch 29:10, blessing, 1Ch 29:11-19, prayer, 1Ch 29:20, worship:
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v10 David’s Thanksgiving
David’s Thanksgiving
v. 10. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation, in a spontaneous overflow of delight and gratitude at seeing the willing response of the people with regard to the favorite project of his life. And David said, Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. It was a sincere cry: All glory be to God on high!
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v. 11. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty, the shining beauty of the Lord’s wonderful essence stood out at this time; for all that is in heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, that is, the sovereignty, and Thou art exalted as Head above all.
v. 12. Both riches and honor come of thee, and Thou reignest over all, all worldly wealth being really a gift of His gracious hand; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all.
v. 13. Now, therefore, our God, we thank Thee, as the Giver of all good gifts, and praise Thy glorious name, literally, "the name of Thy glory"; it is wonderful and glorious in itself, and the purpose of our praise is to keep it most glorious above all.
v. 14. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? The very willingness to serve the Lord with the gifts of our hands is a blessing of His grace. For all things come of thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee. We are merely God’s stewards, in charge of goods which He entrusts to us for the few brief years of our earthly existence. In reality all the goods of which we proclaim ourselves the proud owners are God’s alone, and He will hold us responsible for their administration.
v. 15. For we are strangers before Thee and sojourners, as were all our fathers, the uncertainty and vanity of this earthly life being its most conspicuous feature. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. Note how strongly the otherworldliness of the true religion is emphasized.
v. 16. O Lord, our God, all this store that we have prepared to build Thee an house for Thine holy name cometh of Thine hand and is all Thine own; they were merely carrying out the duties of their stewardship in placing their money at God’s disposal for this purpose.
v. 17. I know also, my God, that Thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness, a mere outward show of piety without true willingness of the heart being an abomination to Him. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now have I seen with joy Thy people which are present here to offer willingly unto Thee, the same spirit of cheerful willingness prompted both the king and the people.
v. 18. O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people, this same spirit of cheerful willingness, and prepare their heart unto Thee, establishing them in faith in Jehovah alone;
v. 19. and give unto Solomon, my son, a perfect heart to keep Thy commandments, Thy testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace for the which I have made provision, the great Temple, the total sum gathered for which has been estimated from a little less than five billion dollars to five times that sum.
v. 20. And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord, your God, in thanking Him for His goodness shown that day. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshiped the Lord and the king, not praying to the latter, but honoring him as the Lord’s representative.
v. 21. And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, both in atoning for the transgressions of the past and in establishing the right relationship between themselves and God, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink-offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel;
v. 22. and did eat and drink before the Lord, in the sacrificial meal connected with their offerings, on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon, the son of David, king the second time, the first crowning having taken place rather suddenly upon Adonijah’s conspiracy, 1Ki 1:35, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest, the degradation of the other high priest, Abiathar, of the line of Ithamar, dating from this time.
v. 23. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord, Jehovah Himself always being considered as the real Ruler of the nation, as king instead of David, his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him, he reigned over a united kingdom.
v. 24. And all the princes, the hereditary chieftains, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of King David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king, by the ceremony of putting their hand under the king’s extended hand, and kissing the back of it.
v. 25. And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel; the two rulers before him had had little of the majestic and magnificent splendor which characterized Solomon. The book now closes with a summary of the reign of David.
v. 26. Thus David, the son of Jesse, reigned over all Israel.
v. 27. And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years, in round numbers; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
v. 28. And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor, glory among the people of his own nation and abroad; and Solomon, his son, reigned in his stead.
v. 29. Now, the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of Samuel, the seer, the historical account written by that prophet, and in the book of Nathan, the prophet, and in the book of Gad, the seer,
v. 30. with all his reign and his might, his military exploits. his brave deeds, and the times that went over him and over Israel and over all the kingdoms of the countries, all those with whom he came into hostile contact or with whom he had a friendly intercourse. Like David, the believers are gathered to the number of perfected saints, to the great number of those whose souls await the resurrection of the last Great Day.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10, 12, 14, 16, 18 May you be praised
May you be praised
This can be stated in active form. AT: "May people praise you" (See: Active or Passive)
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Israel our ancestor
Here "Israel" refers to the man Jacob. AT: "Jacob our ancestor" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
David
bless
assembly
praise
God
eternity
power
glory
majesty
heaven
earth
kingdom
exalt
rule
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10, 18 29:10-19 David’s prayer of praise concluded his addresses at…
29:10-19 David’s prayer of praise concluded his addresses at Solomon’s coronation. The prayer extols God’s power and the glory of his kingdom, and it serves to dedicate the offerings given for building the Temple. The prayer is composed of three parts: the doxology (29:10b-13), the presentation and dedication of the offerings (29:14-17), and the petition (29:18-19).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.