12 Then Solomon said , "The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud . 13 " I have surely built You a lofty house , A place for Your dwelling forever ." 14 Then the king faced e about and blessed all the assembly of Israel , while all the assembly of Israel was standing . 15 He said , " Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel , who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with His hand , saying , 16 ' Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt , I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there , but I chose David to be over My people Israel .' 17 " Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord , the God of Israel . 18 "But the Lord said to my father David , 'Because e it was in your heart to build a house for My name , you did well that it was in your heart . 19 ' Nevertheless you shall not build the house , but your son who will be born e to you, he will build the house for My name .' 20 "Now the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke ; for I have risen in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel , as the Lord promised , and have built the house for the name of the Lord , the God of Israel . 21 "There I have set a place for the ark , in which is the covenant of the Lord , which He made with our fathers when He brought them from the land of Egypt ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 8:12-21
Commentary on 1 Kings 8:12-21
(Read 1 Kings 8:12-21)
Solomon encouraged the priests, who were much astonished at the dark cloud. The dark dispensations of Providence should quicken us in fleeing for refuge to the hope of the gospel. Nothing can more reconcile us to them, than to consider what God has said, and to compare his word and works together. Whatever good we do, we must look on it as the performance of God's promise to us, not of our promises to him.