I. Consider the motive which set David to work in preparing for the building of the Temple. This motive was thankfulness for a great mercy. It was on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, in a moment of deep thankfulness to God for His mercy in arresting the pestilence, that David resolved upon building the Temple as a thank-offering. "This," he exclaimed, "is the altar of the Lord God; this is the altar of the burnt-offering for Israel."
II. Observe the high estimate David had formed of what he had set himself to do. His feeling was that if anything were to be attempted by him in the service of God, it must be, so far as he could make it, on a splendid scale. If anything is fatal to greatness in human endeavour, in act, in work, in character, it is a stunted estimate of what we have to do. Our only chance lies in forming a high estimate of what we have to be or to do, and in keeping that estimate well before us.
III. But the great distinction of David's work of preparation for the Temple is its unselfishness. David did not think of the Temple as having to be built either for his own glory or Solomon's glory, but for the glory of God. If it was to be built for God's glory, the important thing was that it should be built when and as it could be built; it did not matter much by whom, if only it should be built for God's glory. To have had a hand in building it, however small, was a privilege and a joy which carried with it its own reward.
IV. The details of David's contribution to the future Temple are not recorded for nothing in the Bible. They point to a great truth: the preciousness of work unrecognised by man, unrewarded here; they suggest that in this life of shadows labour and the credit for labour do not always go hand in hand. (1) David's example at the close of his life suggests to all of us the duty of preparing, so far as we may, for the building up of the house of God in the world after we ourselves have gone. (2) David's example should encourage all those who are tempted to think that life is a failure because they can only prepare for a work which will be completed by some one else. The Divine Son of David never forgets those who have laboured to promote His cause and His kingdom.
H. P. Liddon, Penny Pulpit,No. 1164 (see also Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxx., p. 88).