(POTB Study) - Prayer, Praise and Faith

Introduction - David Prays

David one day is sitting in his luxurious cedar palace, surrounded by all of his wealth, comfort and convience when he is suddenly aware that God’s house is still a tent covered in animal skins. He is immediatly in great desire to build God a house as fabulous or even gerater than his own. God has other plans and sends word by Nthan the prophet that his son (who is unnamed in this passage) would build the Tabernacle.

This message includes a three fold promise to King David found in

The permanence of David’s dynasty

The permanence of David’s Kingdom

The Permanence of David’s throne

This is a summary of God’s 10 promises in

I was with thee wherever you went (9)

I have cut off all your enemies out of your sight (9)

I will appoint a place for my people Israel (10)

Neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more (10)

“He will make thee an house” (11)

“When you die, I will set up thy see after thee… I will establish his kingdom” (12)

He (your seed) Will build me a house (13)

I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever (13)

I will be his father, and he shall be my son (14)

If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him - but my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul (15)

When David hears these promises from God he is moved to prayer - he leaves his palace and goes to the tabernacle to pray.

The Purpose of David’s Prayer

The purpose of this prayer is found in

The purpose of David’s prayer shows his great faith -

David didn’t wait for the promise or prophecy to come to pass - he simply accepted Nathan’s prophecy as God’s revealed word.

I don’t know how much David understood of it’s far reaching prophetic tone but he obviously grasped some I love how he prays in “…but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come.”

Now he might have been picturing some of his great, great, great grandchildren sitting on his throne, but God had someone else in mind - Jesus Christ the Son of David.

This is why David could confess in “O LORD God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant...”

The Posture of David’s Prayer

The posture of this prayer is found in

The posture of sitting to pray in the Old Testament shows 2 things.

David Giving of Time - The text we have before us is a summary or highlights of David’s prayer - was probably more lengthy and time consuming. Time spent asking questions and waiting on answers.

David portraying Humility - Sitting in the tabernacle instead of the palace - bowing before the Almighty - David is showing a humble heart and attitude.

He also shows his humility by calling himself “servant” at least 10 David refers to himself as “your servant” in this prayer. He is acknowledging his God-given title “My servant David” in

The Pattern of David’s Prayer

The pattern of this prayer (two parts)

Praise - He praises God for his promises -

This praise is encouraged by four rhetorical questions

“Who am I?” (18c)

David answers this as I mentioned earlier - a servant of the LORD God.

What is my house? (18d)

He wasn’t talking about his palace of cedar - but rather his progeny. The Kingdom that would follow him.

“What more can David say more unto thee?” (20)

God has already told him his plan (20b-21)

“What one nation is the earth is like thy people” (23)

What God has done for the people of Israel (23b-24)

Prayer

He prays for God to establish or confirm his word (25)

He prays that God’s name would be magnified for ever (26)

He prays that the house (the dynasty) of David would be established before God forever - This is happening (26)

He prays to be blessed (29)

He reminds God of his promise to establish it forever and prays that it would be so (29)

I think we can learn three things from this prayer -

We can trust God’s promises

We should come to God in humility

We should spend time with God - reveling in His presence.