God refuses David’s offer to build him a Temple and counters with a greater promise: God will build David a dynasty. One son. An eternal throne.

Full sung version coming soon.

Lyrics

David said, I dwell in a house of cedar But the ark of the Lord’s covenant dwells under curtains

And Nathan the prophet said to David All that is in your heart, do it, for God is with you But it happened the same night that the word of God came Saying, Go and tell David my servant

Thus says the Lord, You shall not build me a house to dwell in For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel Until this day, but have gone from tent to tent And from one tabernacle to another

Wherever I have walked with all Israel Did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel Whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar

Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David The Lord of Armies says, I took you from the sheepcote Even from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel And I have been with you wherever you have gone

And I will cut off all your enemies from before you And I will make your name like the name of the great ones That are in the earth And I will ordain a place for my people Israel And will plant them that they may dwell in their own place

And they shall be moved no more Neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more As they did at the first, and as they did In the days when I commanded judges to be over my people Israel

And I will subdue all your enemies Moreover I tell you that the Lord will build you a house When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers I will set up your seed after you Who shall be of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom

He shall build me a house And I will establish his throne forever I will be his father, and he shall be my son My loving kindness shall not depart away from him As I took it from him that was before you But I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever And his throne shall be established forever

The dynasty promised The seed established Forever and ever The covenant holds

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1 Chronicles 17 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.

Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press