INSERT query (using insert from a Java application, concerning String input)

HI!!
I am hoping someone can help me with a problem I have.

I am trying to insert values in my pgsql database through a Java
application.
The problem is that I need to insert a String into a table.  But, as I am
not going to know the value of this String before hand I can't really put
a value within two single qoutes.
I am basically trying to do something like this:

String input = "This is a String";

myConn.updateQuery("insert into myDB values(input)");

but get an error when I  run it saying:
ERROR:  attribute input not found
java.sql.SQLException: ERROR:  attribute input not found

I am also going to have to insert integer and other such values but am not
going to know their values when I use the insert statement.

many thanks for your time and help.