1 Chronicles 29:15 (DRB)

Passage

For we are sojourners before thee, and strangers, as were all our fathers. I Our days upon earth are as a shadow, and there is no stay.

Nearby Context

1 Chronicles 29:13 Now therefore our God we give thanks to thee, and we praise thy glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:14 Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to promise thee all these things? all things are thine: and we have given thee what we received of thy hand.

1 Chronicles 29:15 For we are sojourners before thee, and strangers, as were all our fathers. I Our days upon earth are as a shadow, and there is no stay.

1 Chronicles 29:16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee a house for thy holy name, is from thy hand, and all things are thine.

1 Chronicles 29:17 I know my God that thou provest hearts, and lovest simplicity, wherefore I also in the simplicity of my heart, have joyfully offered all these things: and I have seen with great joy thy people, which are here present, offer thee their offerings.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sojourners", "before", "thee", "strangers", "fathers", "days", "upon", and "earth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sojourners" and "before", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "Who am I and what is my..." into verse 16's "O Lord our God all this store...", so "sojourners" and "before" belong inside that flow. In 1 Chronicles context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sojourners" and "before" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.