1 Chronicles 29:12
Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.
Both riches and honor come from You,

David confessed before the assembled leaders of Israel that every possession, achievement, and position of dignity ultimately comes from God. As Israel prepared for Solomon’s reign and the building of the temple, David refused to credit human skill, military success, or royal authority for the nation’s prosperity. Deuteronomy 8:18 similarly warns that the ability to gain wealth is God’s gift. Riches and honor therefore carry a stewardship responsibility; they are received from the Lord and must be used for His purposes. Wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord, is also associated with enduring honor rather than temporary worldly success (Proverbs 3:16).

2Ch 1:11-12 God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart…
Pro 8:18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth…
Pro 22:4 The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD…

and You are the ruler over all.

God’s kingship extends beyond Israel and beyond David’s throne. Nations, rulers, resources, and events remain under His authority. Israel’s surrounding peoples served many supposed gods connected with particular lands or powers, but David proclaimed that the God of Israel rules the whole creation. Psalm 103:19 affirms that His kingdom rules over all. David’s earthly kingdom was real, yet it was subordinate to the greater reign of God. This truth finds its fullest fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Son of David, who possesses all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

Psa 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven…
Psa 47:7 For God is King of all the earth; sing to Him…
Zec 14:9 On that day the LORD will become King over all the earth—…

In Your hands are power and might

God does not merely possess authority in name; He actively governs by irresistible power. His hand created the heavens, delivered Israel from Egypt, preserved David through conflict, and established the nation in the land. Human strength is limited and dependent, but God’s power cannot be exhausted or defeated. His mighty hand also sustains His people, as Isaiah records: “I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). The resurrection of Christ stands as the supreme demonstration that God’s power overcomes sin, death, and every opposing force.

2Ch 20:6 O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is…
Neh 1:10 They are Your servants and Your people.…
Deu 32:39 See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me…

to exalt and give strength to all.

The Lord raises up leaders and humbles the proud according to His righteous will. Joseph was lifted from imprisonment to authority in Egypt, and David was taken from tending sheep to ruling Israel. God’s gifts of strength include courage, endurance, wisdom, and spiritual perseverance, not merely physical ability. David’s own life testified that victory and leadership came from the Lord rather than human sufficiency. Believers are called to walk humbly before God, trusting Him to supply strength for faithful service and to exalt His people in His appointed time (1 Peter 5:6).

1Sa 2:7-8 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.…
Psa 113:7-8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy…
Isa 40:29 He gives power to the faint and increases the strength…

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The speaker of this verse, King David, is addressing God in a prayer of praise and thanksgiving as he prepares for the construction of the temple.

2. Israel
The nation of Israel is the context in which this prayer is offered, as David is gathering resources for the temple that his son Solomon will build.

3. Temple Preparation
This event marks the preparation for the building of the temple, a significant moment in Israel's history, symbolizing God's dwelling among His people.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is the ultimate ruler over all creation. Our lives, resources, and abilities are under His control and authority.

Source of Blessings
Understand that both material and spiritual blessings come from God. We should acknowledge Him as the source of all that we have.

Dependence on God
Embrace a posture of dependence on God for strength and exaltation. Our achievements and status are gifts from His hand.

Gratitude and Worship
Cultivate a heart of gratitude and worship, acknowledging God's power and provision in our lives.

Stewardship
Practice responsible stewardship of the resources and opportunities God provides, using them for His glory and purposes.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does recognizing God as the source of all riches and honor change your perspective on wealth and success?

2. In what ways can you demonstrate dependence on God's power and might in your daily life?

3. How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude for the blessings you have received from God?

4. What are some practical ways you can be a good steward of the resources God has entrusted to you?

5. How do the themes of God's sovereignty and provision in 1 Chronicles 29:12 connect with other scriptures you know? Can you identify any personal experiences that reflect these truths?
Connections to Other Scriptures
James 1:17
This verse echoes the idea that every good and perfect gift comes from God, reinforcing the belief that all blessings, including riches and honor, originate from Him.

Daniel 2:21
This scripture highlights God's sovereignty over all kingdoms and His power to give wisdom and strength, similar to the themes in 1 Chronicles 29:12.

Psalm 62:11
This verse emphasizes that power belongs to God, aligning with the declaration of God's might and authority in 1 Chronicles 29:12.
David's BlessingJ.R. Thomson 1 Chronicles 29:10-19
All Strength is from GodD. Macleod.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
David's ThanksgivingJ. Wolfendale.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
David's ThanksgivingD. Clarkson.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
Divine OwnershipHomilist1 Chronicles 29:10-20
God's Supreme Dominion and Universal AuthorityR. Shittler.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Agency of God in Human GreatnessJ. Erskine, D. D.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Divine Greatness and BeneficenceJ. Johnson Cort, M. A.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Kingdom of GodW. Jay, M. A.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Last ThanksgivingJ. Wolfendale.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Lord is the Owner of All Things1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Nature of True GreatnessJohn Proudfit, D. D.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
The Reciprocal Influence of Mind Upon Mind in WorshipAnon.1 Chronicles 29:10-20
Rejoicing Before GodW. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 29:10-22
David's Prayer and BlessingF. Whitfield 1 Chronicles 29:10-24
People
David, Gad, Isaac, Jehiel, Jesse, Nathan, Ophir, Samuel, Solomon, Zadok
Places
Hebron, Jerusalem, Ophir
Topics
Exalt, Glory, Hands, Honor, Honour, Lies, Power, Reignest, Riches, Rule, Ruler, Rulest, Ruling, Strength, Strengthen, Strong, Wealth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Chronicles 29:12

     1265   hand of God
     1305   God, activity of
     1330   God, the provider
     4287   universe
     5267   control
     5326   government
     5476   property
     8416   encouragement, promises
     8780   materialism, and sin
     8809   riches
     8811   riches, attitudes to

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

     8428   example

1 Chronicles 29:10-19

     5686   fathers, examples

1 Chronicles 29:11-12

     1105   God, power of
     1335   blessing
     5369   kingship, divine

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

     5289   debt

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 Scripture

That 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

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