Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, until David's time; for then he did choose Jerusalem. I chose no city, i.e. I did not declare my choice of it; for so choosing is used for declaring or executing one's choice, as Deuteronomy 12:1 2 Chronicles 6:5 Malachi 2:12, and things are oft said to be done when they are only manifested or declared to be such; in which sense God is said to be justified, Psalms 51:4, and men to be guilty, Hosea 5:15. Otherwise, to speak properly, whatsoever God chooseth, he chooseth from eternity. That my name might be therein; that my presence, and grace, and worship, and glory might be there. I chose David, and in and with him the tribe of Judah, of which he was, and Jerusalem, where he dwelt; which is here implied by the opposition of this to the former part of the verse.
Related Commentaries of 1 Kings 8:16
1 Kings 8:16
16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.