2 Samuel 7:25-29: a reflection

25“Now, LORD God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken. 26Let your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David will be established before you.’ 27For you, LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you. 28“Now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29Now therefore, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord GOD, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing.”

God has just made David a great promise, that his house and throne would be established forever. And David's response is a prayer that simply takes God at his word, and asks him to do what he has promised. Do as you have spoken, David prays; confirm the word you have spoken forever. You are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. David prays God's own promise back to him, resting his request on the truthfulness of what God has said.

Notice how David prays: by taking hold of God's promise and asking God to fulfill it. He does not pray uncertainly, wondering whether God will act; he prays confidently, because God has spoken, and God's words are truth. His confidence rests not on himself or his worthiness, but on the promise God has made and the faithfulness of the God who made it. He simply asks God to do as he has said, resting on the truth of God's word.

That is a model for confident prayer, grounded in God's promises. We can pray uncertainly, unsure whether God will hear or act; but David shows us a surer footing: to pray God's own promises back to him, resting our confidence on the truth of what God has said. When God has promised something, we can pray for it with confidence, not because we deserve it, but because God is faithful and his words are truth. Learn to pray as David did, taking hold of God's promises and asking him to do as he has said. Ground your prayers in God's word; where he has promised, pray for it confidently, resting not on your own worthiness but on the truthfulness of the God who has spoken. Your words are truth, David prayed; do as you have spoken. Pray so, resting on the faithfulness of God to his own word.

Lord, when you promised David that his house would be established forever, he prayed by taking you at your word: do as you have spoken; you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Teach me to pray as David prayed, grounded in your promises. I can pray uncertainly, unsure whether you will hear or act; but David shows me a surer footing: to pray your own promises back to you, resting my confidence on the truth of what you have said. When you have promised something, I can pray for it with confidence, not because I deserve it, but because you are faithful and your words are truth. Help me learn to pray as David did, taking hold of your promises and asking you to do as you have said. Help me ground my prayers in your word; where you have promised, help me pray for it confidently, resting not on my own worthiness but on your truthfulness. Your words are truth; do as you have spoken. Help me pray so, resting on your faithfulness to your own word, Lord.