1 Chronicles 17:16-27--David's Prayer

1 Chronicles 17:16-27
English Standard Version
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David's Prayer
16 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17 And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O LORD God! 18 And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. 19 For your servant's sake, O LORD, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 There is none like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 And you made your people Israel to be your people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God. 23 And now, O LORD, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as you have spoken, 24 and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 25 For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. 26 And now, O LORD, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O LORD, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

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After David received the Davidic Covenant from the LORD, his response was to worship the LORD and praise Him with a prayer of thanksgiving (for what the LORD had done) and adoration (for who the LORD is).  David had it in his mind and heart to build a "house" for the LORD (a temple), but the LORD planned to build a dynasty for David, and to promise that the Messiah would be one of David's own descendants.  David can only say that only a great God like our God could come up with such a plan.

There is nothing David can do to repay this, nor should he try.  There are not enough words, or even the right words to express David's gratitude and thanks.  David entrusts the Sprit to "translate" for him and communicate directly with God how he feels, because David is at a loss for words that could adequately express his gratitude.  Not only has the LORD done this thing, but the LORD has given David military victories and peace on every side.  He has kept His people safe and secure and brought them into the Land He had promised to them.

Most of all, David is thankful that the LORD revealed Himself to His people and that He has chosen to be their God and has chosen them to be a people unto Himself.  There is no other explanation for this other than the Election that comes by way of the Elector (that is God).  He chose to redeem a people unto Himself for His good pleasure and to bring glory unto Himself.  One day we will gather in worship around the throne and sings songs of worship related to this topic, for we who stand there will be part of the remnant that the LORD has chosen for Himself.

David is strengthened and encouraged by the Word of the LORD, but it means that he now has a new mission to try to disciple his successor and get one of his sons ready to take the throne after him.  The LORD will make clear to him that Solomon will be the one to reign in his place, but will David be able to get Solomon ready in time?  We'll see as we study the rest of 1 Chronicles that talks about the reign of David and part of the portion of 2 Chronicles that talks about the reign of Solomon.