“Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.”
My Notes
What Does 1 Chronicles 28:10 Mean?
David speaks directly to Solomon before the entire assembly: God has chosen you. Build the sanctuary. Be strong. Do it.
The charge is brief and powerful — three imperatives: take heed (pay attention to what this means), be strong (you'll need courage), and do it (don't hesitate, don't delay, don't overthink). David doesn't burden Solomon with lengthy instructions in this moment. He gives him clarity, confidence, and a command.
The phrase "the LORD hath chosen thee" is the foundation. Everything else rests on divine selection. Solomon wasn't volunteering. He wasn't the most qualified candidate by any conventional measure. God chose him. And that choice — not Solomon's talent or experience — is the basis for the command to act.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What has God chosen you for that you've been hesitating to start?
- 2.How does 'the LORD hath chosen thee' change your relationship to imposter syndrome?
- 3.What would it look like to 'be strong and do it' in the area where you've been overthinking?
- 4.Who in your life needs to hear David's charge right now — a simple 'be strong, do it'?
Devotional
"Be strong, and do it." Five words. That's David's charge to the next generation.
Not: figure it out first. Not: wait until you feel ready. Not: develop a strategic plan and present it to the committee. Be strong. Do it.
David could have given Solomon a hundred warnings, a thousand qualifications, endless advice about what could go wrong. Instead, he gave him the simplest possible instruction: God chose you. Now go.
There's something liberating about this. The weight of the calling doesn't rest on your readiness. It rests on God's choice. "The LORD hath chosen thee" — that's the only qualification that matters. If God chose you, your inadequacy is irrelevant. Your uncertainty is beside the point. Your imposter syndrome is a distraction.
Be strong. Not in your own ability — in the fact that God chose you and won't abandon the assignment. And do it. Not perfectly. Not with full understanding. Just do it. Start building. The clarity comes in the doing, not in the deliberating.
What has God chosen you for that you've been overthinking instead of doing?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Take heed now,.... Of offending God by forsaking him; or see, consider, and observe now what he was further about to say…
The Lord hath chosen thee - "The Word of the Lord hath chosen thee." - T.
A great deal of service David had done in his day, had served his generation according to the will of God, Act 13:36.…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture