The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 280

Ver. 17.-The last glory of God's goodness to his serva11tsfound in the distant horizon he offers to their vision. This verse contains a part of David's response to the com- munication which had been made to him. That communication had contained a refusal, and one which under most circumstances would have been felt to be charo-ed with a disappointment sufficient t.o overspread all the scene with gloom, and to req l~ire some little time to recover from. But there was much in the communication to heal at once that disappointment, and to prevent the ranlding of offended feeling and affection. It wa.s all couched in gracious language, spoken in a gentle tone though firm, accompanied with reasoning and some individual reasons, softened by tender memories, and memories very suggestive and instructive; and above all, if it wanted in the present, the present want was abundantly compensated for by a sure promise of the future; if it lacked anything directly to himself, it were easy to bear it, when that lack was to be turneci into glorious abundance in the person of bis own best-loved Son. Accordingly, this response of David is found to be one of very prompt, very dutiful submission. DaviLl bows to the Divine fiat and kisses the rod which smites. The response goes beyond meek surrender and unhesitating acquiescence. David cordially accepts the representa- tions made, and every tum and illustration and enforcement of them drawn from bis owu fast life. He knows every word to be true. He knows what he owes to special favour, special promotion, special deliverance, and continued faithful protection, The "sheep- cotes" of old, and his" palace of cedars" of to-day, proclaim facts and tell a tale that melt bis heart not to submission only, but to grateful love. And his response is filled with grateful thanksgiving, trustful prayer, adoring praise. In o.ll this response of David, nothing, perhaps, is more effective, nothing meant more than the touch con- tained in this verse, "Thou hast spoken of thy servant's hoW!e for a great while to come." Let us notice here- I. THE FIRST FOBM OF A VERY GREAT PRINCIPLE, AS IT PBE~ENTED ITSELF TO THE VIEW OF DAVID. Something, it is abundantly evideut, took very firm hold of David's fancy in the continuity of the promise made to him, in his son Solomon and the line uf his succession. But it is a little thing to say it took hold of his fancy. It took holJ. of much that was deepest in him-far deeper than fancy is generally held to go. The light of Do.vid, we often say, and probably not incorrectly, was dim. But something elso wwi not very dim, it would appear. Nature and instinct, feeling and affection, aspirn- tion and its silent pertinacious testimony, looking ever to tho upward and the onward, -theso were not so very dim. All, however, that appears on the surface now was this. David has been reminded, in language very plain, of the rock whence he was hewn, and the pit whence he was digged ; of the low estate of his onetimo life, and of how ho owes an unwonted much to the goodness, unmerited, sovereign, of his almighty Patron and Defender. His early life is summarized. All his po.st life to this throbbing hour is exhibited, brought well into the foreground. Not a feature of it does David dispute. No wounded vanity, nor vanity unwounded, strives to draw o. veil on his humble origin. To the full he accepts and proceeds upon the deRcription given him of himself, o.nu acknowledges," Who am I, 0 Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet" (one might have thought David knew the modern adage, though reverently, " Gratitude a lively sense of favours to come") "this wa.s a small thing in thine eyes, O God" (it evidently was now, comparatively speaking, a smo.11 thing in his own eyes);" for thou hast also spoken oftby servant's bouso for e. great while to come." The continuity of the goodness and favour of God, and tho continuity of thom to i1. future o. great distance off, evidently riveted and fascinated the thought of David. And was there not something great, something good, soruothing of a high typo in this·? Let us track- lL TllE ESSENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE, THE RADICAL ELEllENTS Pl\ESENT IN TIIE PlllNClPLE 278 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES, [en. xvu.1-27.