David’s Thanksgiving Prayer on Completing Preparations for the Temple

¹⁰David blessed the Lord in front of all the assemblage; David said, “Blessed are You, Lord, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity. ¹¹Yours, Lord, are greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty— yes, all that is in heaven and on earth; to You, Lord, belong kingship and preeminence above all. ¹²Riches and honor are Yours to dispense; You have dominion over all; with You are strength and might, and it is in Your power to make anyone great and strong. ¹³Now, God, we praise You and extol Your glorious name. ¹⁴Who am I and who are my people, that we should have the means to make such a freewill offering; but all is from You, and it is Your gift that we have given to You. ¹⁵For we are sojourners with You, mere transients like our fathers; our days on earth are like a shadow, with nothing in prospect. ¹⁶O Lord our God, all this great mass that we have laid aside to build You a House for Your holy name is from You, and it is all Yours. ¹⁷I know, God, that You search the heart and desire uprightness; I, with upright heart, freely offered all these things; now Your people, who are present here—I saw them joyously making freewill offerings. ¹⁸O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, remember this to the eternal credit of the thoughts of Your people’s hearts, and make their hearts constant toward You. ¹⁹As to my son Solomon, give him a whole heart to observe Your commandments, Your admonitions, and Your laws, and to fulfill them all, and to build this temple for which I have made provision.”