17 -19 "My father David had it in his heart to build a Temple honoring the Name of
God, the God of Israel. But
God told him 'It was good that you wanted to build a Temple in my honor—most commendable!
But you are not the one to do it—your son will build it to honor my Name.'
20 -21 "God has done what he said he would do: I have succeeded David my father and ruled over Israel just as God promised; and now I've built a Temple to honor God, the God of Israel, and I've secured a place for the Chest that holds the covenant of God, the covenant that he made with our ancestors when he brought them up from the land of Egypt."
22 -25 Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took a position before the Altar, spread his hands out before heaven, and prayed,
O God, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and relentlessly loves them as they sincerely live in obedience to your way. You kept your word to David my father, your personal word. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today!
David, the man after God's own heart, had good intentions. We can even say godly intentions. Yet God did not choose him to build the temple. He wanted to build the temple, but God had someone else in mind. Even the godly aren't always chosen to do certain things for God. We may have good, godly intentions and still not be the one for the job.
