1 Chronicles 29:11
Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
The words belong to David's dying charge when his end was near, delivered in person to the princes of Israel with representative men gathered from all parts of the kingdom to receive his legacy in trust and to secure their concurrence and support in the great work to be accomplished. Though physical weakness made his personal attendance unexpected, he spoke for the last time with more than his wonted fervor and power. He told of his own desire to build the temple and of the Lord's command that the work should be committed to Solomon his son, with the divine assurance that Solomon would build God's house and courts as God's chosen son and that his kingdom would be established forever if constant in doing God's commandments and judgments. He charged all Israel in the sight of the congregation and in the audience of God to keep and seek all God's commandments so they might possess the good land and leave it for an inheritance to their children forever.
Greatness and power and glory and victory and majesty and the kingdom belong to the Lord because all that is in heaven and in earth is His, and He is exalted as head above all as sovereign ruler over all. The declaration is that everything in heaven and earth belongs to Him, so rule itself is His by right of universal ownership. Riches and honor come from Him, and power and might to make great and to give strength and greatness rest in His hand. In His hand is the ability to bestow greatness and strength, and from His hand strength and greatness come to men.
In the setting of the temple offerings the people's wealth and their willingness to give came from God, so their gifts only returned what was already His and first came from Him. God's power moved their hearts, and without it the king's efforts would have failed and the temple would not have been built. The verse thus grounds the call to support God's work, for men give from what already belongs to God, and willing giving becomes a reason for gratitude and praise.
His rule is active, for He carries forward His purposes, overturns and overcomes wicked plans, and guards and keeps His people safe amid the conflict of nations. His servants' success comes from divine power rather than their own ability, and they are not to make His work depend on themselves. He remains in control of their work and their trials, carrying out His purpose while keeping His people amid conflict.
The verse grounds praise and worship and gratitude and thanksgiving in God's universal ownership and supreme rule. Because greatness and kingship belong to Him as the One exalted above all, acknowledgment of His ownership rightly issues in worship. Those reached through missionary work may recognize that universal ownership and kingship and praise Him as the source of victory. Such is the confession many Chinese converts might make as they came to know Him, and the confession those turning from idolatry can make as they acknowledge His rule.
God is ready to work for His believing church when its people are willing to work for Him. He is presented as supreme and able to act without hindrance, so His power must not be limited by human doubt or unbelief. His supremacy as King over all who rules everything in heaven and on earth is demonstrated through history and prophecy. All true human science comes from Him, and knowing God and Jesus Christ is part of true higher education.