1 Chronicles 29
Verse 2 My might - Work for God must be done with all our might, or we shall bring nothing to pass in it. Verse 4 Of Ophir - The best and purest gold. The walls - The walls of the temple with God, and of the rooms adjoining to it, with silver beaten out into plates. Verse 5 To consecrate - To offer an offering, as I have done. Heb. To fill his hand unto the Lord. They that engage themselves in the service of God, will have their hands full: there is work enough for the whole man in that service. Verse 9 Rejoiced - Because this was both an effect of God's grace in them, an eminent token of God's favour to them, and a pledge that this long - desired work, would receive a certain and speedy accomplishment. Great joy - To see the work, which his heart was so much set upon, likely to go on. It is a great reviving to good men when they are leaving the world, to see those they leave behind zealous for the work of God. Verse 10 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. Verse 14 To offer - That thou shouldest give us both riches to make such an offering, and a willing heart to offer them, both which are the gifts and the fruits of thy good grace and mercy to us. Of thine - We return only what we have received, and therefore only pay a debt to thee. 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. Verse 15 Strangers - For the land which we possess is thine, not ours; we are not the proprietors but only thy tenants: and as our fathers once were mere strangers in it, even before men, so we at this day are no better before thee, having no absolute right in it, but only to travel through it, and sojourn in it for the short time that we live in the world. None abiding - We only give thee what we must shortly leave, and what we cannot keep to ourselves: and therefore it is a great favour that thou wilt accept such offerings. David's days had as much of substance in them as most men: for he was upon the whole a good man, an useful man, and now an old man. And yet he puts himself in the front of those who must acknowledge, that their days on the earth are as a shadow: which speaks of our life as a vain life, a dark life, a transient life, and a life that will have its period, either in perfect light or perfect darkness. Verse 16 All thine own - In like manner we ought to acknowledge God in all spiritual things: referring every good thought, good desire, and good work to his grace. Verse 18 Of Abraham, &c. - A God in covenant with them, and with us for their sakes. Keep forever - Since it is from thy grace that thy people have such willing minds, continue that grace to them, that they may persist in the same generous disposition towards thee and thy worship. Prepare - Or, rather, confirm, thou who hast begun a good work, confirm and carry it on by thy grace. Verse 20 Worshipped - The Lord with religious, and the king with civil worship. Verse 22 The second time - The first time, was when he was made king during Adonijah's conspiracy. And Zadok - It must be remembered that the high - priest had his viceregent who might officiate in his stead. So that this action of theirs, the anointing Zadok, did not, actually constitute him high - priest, but only settled the reversion of it upon him and his line after Abiathar's death; even as David's making Solomon king, and their anointing Solomon to be the chief governor here, did not put him into actual possession of the kingdom, but only gave him a right to it after the present king's death: hence, notwithstanding this anointing, Abiathar continued to exercise his office 'till Solomon thrust him out, 1Kings 2:27. Verse 24 Of the Lord - On the throne of Israel, which is called the throne of the Lord, because the Lord himself was in a peculiar manner the king and governor of Israel. He had the founding, he had the filling of their throne, by immediate direction. Verse 26 Thus, &c. - This sacred writer having mentioned the anointing of Solomon and upon that occasion proceeded to give a farther account of Solomon's actual settlement in his kingdom, returns to his main business, to give an account of the close of David's reign and life. He here brings him to the end of his day, leaves him asleep, and draws the curtains about him. Verse 28 Riches and honour - That is, he had enough of this world, and of the riches of and honour of it; and he knew when he had enough. He was satisfied with it, and very willing to go to a better place. Verse 29 The book - In the chronicles of the kingdom, which were written by Nathan and Gad, who were not only prophets, but historiographers out of which either they or some other prophets took by the direction of God's spirit such passages, as were most important and useful for the church in succeeding ages. Verse 30 The times - The changes which befel him; both his troubles, and his successes, the word time or times being often put for things done or happening in them. The countries - Bordering upon the land of Canaan.