Five Eternal Gifts from God - Praise 4

“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. (1 Chronicles 29:14-18, ESV)

David continues to praise God for His lasting benefits. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were.” Vs. 14-15a.

Once again, David acknowledges that all things come from God and what the redeemed give back to God is actually owned by Him. The praise we give to God is sourced in the new life He has given us by His grace through God given faith in His son Jesus Christ.

In contrast to God, David acknowledges that man is a stranger. Before God, man lacks any inherited rights. He is but an alien as were his forefathers.

David also praises God for His generosity. “Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. “

While God is everlasting, man is compared to a shadow: transitory; fleeting; brief; momentary. Man alone cannot abide. Every amount of man’s abundance comes from God alone.  

Appropriately, David then praises God for discernment. “I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.”

David is continually conscious that God tests and examines the heart and soul of man. The LORD scrutinizes man’s intellect, emotions and will much like a goldsmith who refines gold in the refiner’s fire.

The LORD takes pleasure in uprightness and the conformity to a specific God given standard. David pledges to God that all that he has done in personally and willingly giving his resources has been offered freely from a pure and joyous heart.

In concluding his prayer of praise, David praises God for His faithfulness. “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.” (1 Chronicles 29:18, ESV)

It is at this point that David finally makes a request. The request is for God to forever keep, guard and protect His purposes in the hearts of His people and to direct and establish their hearts toward Him.