The Man after God’s Own Heart-part 1

The Man after God’s Own Heart-part 1

            1Chronicles 29:10-14, “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.”  King David wanted to build a place of worship and made preparations for the construction of the First Temple although God has told him that he would not be allowed to build the Temple.  1Chronicles 28:2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.” 

            David, being the wise servant that he was, did not become bitter toward God, but instead continued to bless YHVH for who He is and what he had done for His people.  It is no wonder that he is recorded in Acts as “a man after mine own heart”.   Because he had the right attitude about God and His will, David wrote a paean of praise that seemingly influenced several of the New Testament writers and possibly even  the Lord’s Prayer recorded in Matthew 6:13, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”   Also, 1Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”  The Revelation of St John the Divine also is reminiscent of David’s writing, Revelation 5:13, “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”