February 3

The word of the Lord came, ... Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build Me an house? — 2 Sam 7:4-5

The Lord did not reprove David for his desire to build Him a temple.

Elsewhere God said to him, “thou didst well that it was in thine heart.” If we are desirous of doing for God some service, which is not His will we should do, He is pleased with our wish to serve Him, though He declines the proffer.

Another suggestion here is that every one has his own particular part to do in the Lord’s work. David was not to build the temple – that was Solomon’s mission – but he had other things to do which were equally important. Part of David’s mission was to be the hymn–writer for the ancient Church. Who thinks it would have been a grander thing for David to build a temple of stone and gold and cedar?

That gorgeous house – where is it now? But David’s psalms are living yet and are sung everywhere. To every man his work. And we please God best when we accept, and do well and cheerfully, that which is given to us to do.