A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Fixing (setting) one's heart on something

Usage

Keeping something as the fundamental desire and inclination.

Definition

The Israelites and Christians are urged to find stability by making the service and love of God their desire. 'Grant ' that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our heart may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found' (Taken from the Book of Common Prayer, 1662, Collect 4th Sunday after Easter). 'Give your people grace ' that, among the many changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found' (Taken from the Common Worship, Collect for 4th Sunday before Lent)

Bible References

1 Chronicles 22:19; Psalms 57:7

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Then David said, Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel. ²David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. ³David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, ⁴and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. ⁵For David said, Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it. So David provided materials in great quantity before his death. ⁶Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷David said to Solomon, My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. ⁸But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. ⁹Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever. ¹¹Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you. ¹²Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. ¹³Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. ¹⁴With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. ¹⁵You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working ¹⁶gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The Lord be with you! ¹⁷David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ¹⁸Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people. ¹⁹Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.

¹Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel. ²And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God. ³And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight; ⁴Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. ⁵And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death. ⁶Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel. ⁷And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: ⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. ⁹Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. ¹⁰He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. ¹¹Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee. ¹²Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. ¹³Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed. ¹⁴Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto. ¹⁵Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. ¹⁶Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee. ¹⁷David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ¹⁸Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. ¹⁹Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. ²I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. ³He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! ⁴My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts&emdash; the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. ⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! ⁶They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah ⁷My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! ⁸Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! ⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. ¹⁰For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. ¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

¹Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. ²I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. ³He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. ⁴My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. ⁵Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. ⁶They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. ⁷My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. ⁸Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. ⁹I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. ¹⁰For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. ¹¹Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

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