David's Prayer

I. Gratitude

Everyone in that days says “O King Live Forever.” But no one actually believes it. It takes no small amount of humility when you are the King to recognize that no one’s dynasty lasts forever.

The Davidic Covenant is a unique blessing to David.

ESV: “This is instruction for mankind.” NKJV “Is this the manner of man?” word is תוֹרָה “law” but has other meanings too. the issue is punctuation. Should it be a question or a statement? Is he saying this is the “law” of mankind, or that this is the way the world works, or is he rhetorically saying that this is not the way things normally work?

Nevertheless, David exemplifies the attitude of Gratitude, a virtue that all Christians should emulate 1 Thess 5:18

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

We haven’t been given David’s blessing, though we all benefit from it. King Jesus holds the right to rule the world because of it. Without it, Jesus would have no human right to rule; since he does, all the redeemed will get to enjoy a world filled with righteousness and ruled in perfect justice and godliness

We have been given unique blessings that David did not enjoy.

We have an inheritance, not in a physical land, or in a dynasty, but reserved for us to enjoy ourselves forever. 1 Peter 1:3-4

1 Peter 1:3–4 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

We have the Holy Spirit which is the “down-payment” of that inheritance Eph 1:13-14

Ephesians 1:13–14 NKJV

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We have been brought near to God, we who had no right to God’s promises now are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household Eph 2:12-13, 19

Ephesians 2:12–13 NKJV

that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:19 NKJV

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

God has raised us up and seated us with him in the heavenly places Eph 2:4-7

Ephesians 2:4–7 NKJV

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

II. Theocentric

The reason for God’s grace to David is God’s own heart and his own promises, not anything that David did. That’s the definition of grace. God saved us for the same reason. Our salvation is about God, for God, by God. That’s why we can know we are saved.

God’s Great blessings stem from his own greatness. There is none like him; no god like him. No one can give like God does; no one has grace like he does. He blesses people so that all the earth may realize how great he really is.

III. Others-centric

In David’s case, he recognizes that what benefits him personally so much actually is not just sourced in God, but even its object isn’t about him. It’s about Israel.

What makes Israel distinct is what God did for her. The people of Israel have always been neither better nor worse than other nations. But God has done great things to form, establish, and keep it. He has done great things to make Israel into a nation that worships him, things he did not do for any other nation.

God intended to use Israel to bring the whole world to himself. Primarily by making Israel a shining example of what following God looks like. Or, failing that, making Israel an example of what rejecting God looks like. God intends to use the church similarly to bring the whole world to himself. Primarily by sending us into the world to be a light everywhere. But if we fail to exemplify Christian character, then instead judgment will begin at the house of God 1 Pet 4:17; Matt 28:19

1 Peter 4:17 NKJV

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Matthew 28:19 NKJV

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

God’s spiritual blessings on the church is also not just done for his own glory, it is done to benefit others, not merely ourselves.

IV. Boldly ask for God’s Promises

David has already worked through a simple logical syllogism -

God is great and can do what he says

God is trustworthy and will do what he says.

God has promised me an eternal house for his name’s sake to benefit Israel his people.

Therefore God will give me an eternal house.

But rather than just say that, he asks for it. Why ask for what God has already promised to give you? Because it is the one request you can make that you can be absolutely sure God will grant.