Of thine own have we given thee - "For from thy presence all good comes, and of the blessings of thy hands have we given thee." - Targum.

But who am I,.... Originally dust and ashes, a sinful creature, unworthy to receive anything from God, and of having the honour of doing anything for him:

and what is my people: subject to him, the least of all people, separated from the nations round about them, and despised by them:

that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? that they, who were a poor people, some years ago brought out of Egyptian bondage, should now be possessed of such an affluence, and have such a generous heart and liberal spirit given them, as to contribute in so large and liberal a manner as they had done; all was owing to the goodness of God to them, and the efficacy of his grace upon them:

for all things come of thee; all good things, temporal and spiritual; the Lord is the fountain of goodness, and Father of mercies:

and of thine own have we given thee; for there is nothing a man has but he has received from the Lord, and therefore can give nothing to him but his own, see Romans 11:35.

For man of himself can give nothing: "What am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to show ourselves so liberal?" כּוח עצר כּוח, to hold strength together; both to have power to do anything (here and 2 Chronicles 2:5; 2 Chronicles 22:9), and also to retain strength (2 Chronicles 13:20; Daniel 10:8, Daniel 10:16; Daniel 11:6), only found in Daniel and in the Chronicle. התנדּב, to show oneself willing, especially in giving. כּזאת refers to the contribution to the building of the temple (1 Chronicles 29:3-8). From Thy hand, i.e., that which is received from Thee, have we given.

But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things {h} come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

(h) We gave you nothing of our own, but that which we have received from you: for whether the gifts are corporal or spiritual, we receive them all from God, and therefore must give him the glory.

29:14 To offer - That thou shouldest give us both riches to make such an offering, and a willing heart to offer them, both which are the gifts and the fruits of thy good grace and mercy to us. Of thine - We return only what we have received, and therefore only pay a debt to thee. The more we do for God, the more we are indebted to him; for the honour of being employed in his service, and for grace enabling us in any measure to serve him.

be able: Heb. retain, or, obtain strength

in thine...: Heb. of thine hand

29:10-19 We cannot form a right idea of the magnificence of the temple, and the buildings around it, about which such quantities of gold and silver were employed. But the unsearchable riches of Christ exceed the splendour of the temple, infinitely more than that surpassed the meanest cottage on earth. Instead of boasting of these large oblations, David gave solemn thanks to the Lord. All they gave for the Lord's temple was his own; if they attempted to keep it, death would soon have removed them from it. They only use they could make of it to their real advantage, was, to consecrate it to the service of Him who gave it.