(11) Thine, O Lord, is the greatness.--The point of 1Chronicles 29:11-12 seems to be that David arrogates nothing to himself; but, with the humility of genuine greatness, ascribes everything to God. As if he said, "The greatness of my kingdom, the prowess of my warriors, the splendour and majesty of my throne, are thine, for thine are all things."

Greatness.--G?dull?h, a late word. (Comp. Psalm 71:21; Psalm 145:3.)

Power.--Strictly, manly strength; then valour, prowess (Psalm 21:13). (Comp. Exodus 15:3.)

The glory.--Ornament, beauty, splendour (Isaiah 3:18; Isaiah 13:19; Isaiah 46:13; Psalm 96:6).

Majesty.--See Psalm 21:6; Psalm 96:6.

Victory.--Glory, splendour (1Samuel 15:29). "Victory" is the meaning of the word in Syriac, and so the LXX. and Vulg. render here. But the Syriac version has "beauty." or "glory." With the whole ascription, comp. Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:12; Revelation 7:12.

All that is in the heavens . . . is thine.--The pronoun (l?k) seems to have fallen out before the following: "Thine (l?k?) is the kingdom." (Comp. for the idea Psalm 89:11; Psalm 24:1.)

The kingdom.--The universal sovereignty (Psalm 96:10; Psalm 97:1; Psalm 22:28).

Thou art exalted as head above all.--Lit., And the self-exalted over all as head (art thou). (Comp. Numbers 16:3.) Here also the pronoun ('?tt?h) may have been lost at the end. Ewald, however, explains the apparent participle as an Aramaized infinitive: "And the being exalted over all as head is thine." (Comp. Isaiah 24:21 for the supremacy of God over all powers of heaven and earth.)

As head.--Comp. Deuteronomy 28:13; Psalm 18:43; Colossians 2:10.

29:10-19 We cannot form a right idea of the magnificence of the temple, and the buildings around it, about which such quantities of gold and silver were employed. But the unsearchable riches of Christ exceed the splendour of the temple, infinitely more than that surpassed the meanest cottage on earth. Instead of boasting of these large oblations, David gave solemn thanks to the Lord. All they gave for the Lord's temple was his own; if they attempted to keep it, death would soon have removed them from it. They only use they could make of it to their real advantage, was, to consecrate it to the service of Him who gave it.Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty,.... That is, either God is possessed of all greatness and immensity, of dignity of nature, and of all perfections; of almighty power, of excellent glory, of superiority to all beings and of honour, and majesty, and all that grandeur, might, and honour in men, and victory over others; the majestic appearance they make, and exaltation above others they have, are all of God:

for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; they are both made by him, and all that is in them, and therefore he has the sole right unto them:

thine is the kingdom, O Lord; of nature and Providence; he has the sole dominion over all creatures, and the sovereign disposal of all things:

and thou art exalted as head above all; men on earth, and angels in heaven.