O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this desire forever in the intentions of the hearts of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You. O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and IsraelThis phrase acknowledges the covenantal relationship God established with the patriarchs. Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob) are foundational figures in the history of Israel, representing God's promises and faithfulness. The invocation of these patriarchs emphasizes continuity and the fulfillment of God's promises through generations. It also highlights the importance of heritage and identity in the Israelite community, reminding them of their unique relationship with God. This invocation is a common motif in prayers and blessings, reinforcing the idea of God's unchanging nature and His ongoing commitment to His people. keep this desire forever in the intentions of the hearts of Your people
The "desire" refers to the willingness and devotion of the people to serve and honor God, as demonstrated in the context of David's preparations for the temple. This plea for God to maintain this desire underscores the human tendency to stray and the need for divine assistance in remaining faithful. The heart, in biblical terms, is the center of will and emotion, and this request is for God to instill a lasting commitment within the people. This reflects the biblical theme of God writing His laws on the hearts of His people, as seen in Jeremiah 31:33, indicating a transformation that goes beyond external observance to internal devotion. and direct their hearts toward You
This phrase is a request for divine guidance and alignment of the people's will with God's purposes. It acknowledges human dependence on God for spiritual direction and the need for His intervention to maintain focus on Him. The direction of the heart is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing the importance of inner orientation toward God. This aligns with the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized the greatest commandment as loving God with all one's heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). The prayer for God to direct hearts is a recognition of His sovereignty and the necessity of His grace in leading His people toward righteousness and faithfulness. Persons / Places / Events 1. LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. 2. Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob)The patriarchs of Israel, representing God's covenantal promises and faithfulness through generations. 3. DavidThe speaker of this prayer, King of Israel, who is preparing for the building of the temple. 4. Israel (the people)The nation chosen by God, whom David is addressing in his prayer. 5. Temple PreparationThe context of this verse is David's preparation for the building of the temple, a significant event in Israel's history. Teaching Points The Importance of LegacyDavid's prayer reflects a desire for a spiritual legacy that transcends generations. We should consider how our faith impacts future generations. Heart OrientationThe Hebrew word for "heart" (lev) signifies the inner person. Our hearts should be oriented toward God, influencing our thoughts and actions. God's FaithfulnessBy invoking the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, David reminds us of God's faithfulness through history. We can trust in His promises today. Prayer for OthersLike David, we should pray for others to have hearts that are steadfast and oriented toward God, recognizing the power of intercessory prayer. Desire for God's WillThe desire David speaks of is not just a fleeting wish but a deep-seated longing for God's will to be done. We should cultivate such desires in our own lives. Bible Study Questions 1. How does David's invocation of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Israel) in his prayer influence your understanding of God's faithfulness? 2. In what ways can you ensure that your heart is established toward God in your daily life? 3. How can you contribute to creating a spiritual legacy for future generations in your family or community? 4. Reflect on a time when you prayed for someone else's spiritual growth. How did that experience impact your faith? 5. How can you cultivate a deeper desire for God's will in your life, and what practical steps can you take to align your heart with His purposes? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 6:5-6This passage emphasizes the importance of loving God with all one's heart, soul, and strength, which aligns with David's prayer for the people's hearts to be established toward God. Psalm 51:10David's plea for a pure heart and steadfast spirit connects to his desire for the people to have hearts established toward God. Proverbs 4:23The call to guard one's heart, as it is the wellspring of life, relates to the prayer for God to keep the desire in the hearts of His people. Hebrews 12:2Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, parallels the call for hearts to be established toward God. People David, Gad, Isaac, Jehiel, Jesse, Nathan, Ophir, Samuel, Solomon, ZadokPlaces Hebron, Jerusalem, OphirTopics TRUE, Deepest, Desire, Direct, Fathers, Fixed, Forever, Heart, Hearts, Imagination, Intentions, Isaac, Loyal, O, Prepare, Preserve, Purposes, ThoughtsDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Chronicles 29:18 1245 God of the fathers
5014 heart, human
5015 heart, and Holy Spirit
6185 imagination, desires
8304 loyalty 1 Chronicles 29:10-19 5686 fathers, examples 1 Chronicles 29:14-19 8332 reputation 1 Chronicles 29:17-19 8225 devotion Library The Waves of Time
'The times that went over him.'--1 CHRON. xxix. 30. This is a fragment from the chronicler's close of his life of King David. He is referring in it to other written authorities in which there are fuller particulars concerning his hero; and he says, 'the acts of David the King, first and last, behold they are written in the book of Samuel the seer ... with all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over all Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.' Now I have ventured …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThat we Ought to Offer Ourselves and all that is Ours to God, and to Pray for All
The Voice of the Disciple Lord, all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine.(1) I desire to offer myself up unto thee as a freewill offering, and to continue Thine for ever. Lord, in the uprightness of mine heart I willingly offer(2) myself to Thee to-day to be Thy servant for ever, in humble submission and for a sacrifice of perpetual praise. Receive me with this holy Communion of Thy precious Body, which I celebrate before Thee this day in the presence of the Angels invisibly surrounding, …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ The History Books
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Assyrian idol-god] Thus little by little the Book of God grew, and the people He had chosen to be its guardians took their place among the nations. A small place it was from one point of view! A narrow strip of land, but unique in its position as one of the highways of the world, on which a few tribes were banded together. All around great empires watched them with eager eyes; the powerful kings of Assyria, Egypt, and Babylonia, the learned Greeks, and, in later times, …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making Concerning Salutations and Recreations, &C.
Concerning Salutations and Recreations, &c. [1273] Seeing the chief end of all religion is to redeem men from the spirit and vain conversation of this world and to lead into inward communion with God, before whom if we fear always we are accounted happy; therefore all the vain customs and habits thereof, both in word and deed, are to be rejected and forsaken by those who come to this fear; such as taking off the hat to a man, the bowings and cringings of the body, and such other salutations of that …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity Enoch, the Deathless
BY REV. W. J. TOWNSEND, D.D. Enoch was the bright particular star of the patriarchal epoch. His record is short, but eloquent. It is crowded into a few words, but every word, when placed under examination, expands indefinitely. Every virtue may be read into them; every eulogium possible to a human character shines from them. He was a devout man, a fearless preacher of righteousness, an intimate friend of God, and the only man of his dispensation who did not see death. He sheds a lustre on the …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known The Exile --Continued.
We have one psalm which the title connects with the beginning of David's stay at Adullam,--the thirty-fourth. The supposition that it dates from that period throws great force into many parts of it, and gives a unity to what is else apparently fragmentary and disconnected. Unlike those already considered, which were pure soliloquies, this is full of exhortation and counsel, as would naturally be the case if it were written when friends and followers began to gather to his standard. It reads like …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David Covenanting a Duty.
The exercise of Covenanting with God is enjoined by Him as the Supreme Moral Governor of all. That his Covenant should be acceded to, by men in every age and condition, is ordained as a law, sanctioned by his high authority,--recorded in his law of perpetual moral obligation on men, as a statute decreed by him, and in virtue of his underived sovereignty, promulgated by his command. "He hath commanded his covenant for ever."[171] The exercise is inculcated according to the will of God, as King and …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Chronicles 29:18 NIV1 Chronicles 29:18 NLT1 Chronicles 29:18 ESV1 Chronicles 29:18 NASB1 Chronicles 29:18 KJV
1 Chronicles 29:18 Commentaries
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