avid's care for the ark. (1-3) God's covenant with David.
(4-17) His prayer and thanksgiving. (18-29)
Verses 1-3: David being at rest in his palace, considered how he might
best employ his leisure and prosperity in the service of God. He
formed a design to build a temple for the ark. Nathan here did
not speak as a prophet, but as a godly man, encouraging David by
his private judgment. We ought to do all we can to encourage and
promote the good purposes and designs of others, and, as we have
opportunity, to forward a good work.
Verses 4-17: Blessings are promised to the family and posterity of
David. These promises relate to Solomon, David's immediate
successor, and the royal line of Judah. But they also relate to
Christ, who is often called David and the Son of David. To him
God gave all power in heaven and earth, with authority to
execute judgment. He was to build the gospel temple, a house for
God's name; the spiritual temple of true believers, to be a
habitation of God through the Spirit. The establishing of his
house, his throne, and his kingdom for ever, can be applied to
no other than to Christ and his kingdom: David's house and
kingdom long since came to an end. The committing iniquity
cannot be applied to the Messiah himself, but to his spiritual
seed; true believers have infirmities, for which they must
expect to be corrected, though they are not cast off.
Verses 18-29: David's prayer is full of the breathings of devout
affection toward God. He had low thoughts of his own merits. All
we have, must be looked upon as Divine gifts. He speaks very
highly and honourably of the Lord's favours to him. Considering
what the character and condition of man is, we may be amazed
that God should deal with him as he does. The promise of Christ
includes all; if the Lord God be ours, what more can we ask, or
think of? (Eph 3:20). He knows us better than we know ourselves;
therefore let us be satisfied with what he has done for us. What
can we say more for ourselves in our prayers, than God has said
for us in his promises? David ascribes all to the free grace of
God. Both the great things He had done for him, and the great
things He had made known to him. All was for his word's sake,
that is, for the sake of Christ the eternal Word. Many, when
they go to pray, have their hearts to seek, but David's heart
was found, that is, it was fixed; gathered in from its
wanderings, entirely engaged to the duty, and employed in it.
That prayer which is from the tongue only, will not please God;
it must be found in the heart; that must be lifted up and poured
out before God. He builds his faith, and hopes to speed, upon
the sureness of God's promise. David prays for the performance
of the promise. With God, saying and doing are not two things,
as they often are with men; God will do as he hath said. The
promises of God are not made to us by name, as to David, but
they belong to all who believe in Jesus Christ, and plead them
in his name.
avid's care for the ark. (1-3) God's covenant with David.
(4-17) His prayer and thanksgiving. (18-29)