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David’s Prayer

18 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?(A) 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God; you have spoken also of your servant’s house into the distant future. May this be instruction for the people,[a] O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God!(B) 21 Because of your promise and according to your own heart, you have wrought all this greatness so that your servant may know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God, for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.(C) 23 Who is like your people, like Israel? Is there another[b] nation on earth whose God went to redeem it as a people and to make a name for himself, doing[c] great and awesome things, driving out[d] nations and their gods before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt?(D) 24 And you established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.(E) 25 And now, O Lord God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised. 26 Thus your name will be magnified forever in the saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you.(F) 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.(G) 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant;(H) 29 now, therefore, may it please you to bless the house of your servant so that it may continue forever before you, for you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 7.19 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 7.23 Gk: Heb one
  3. 7.23 Gk: Heb adds for you
  4. 7.23 Gk: Heb for your land

David’s Prayer(A)

18 Then King David went in to the presence of the Lord, sat down, and said:

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family,[a] that you have brought me to this? 19 And this is still a small thing to you, Lord God—you also have spoken about the future of your servant’s house, and this is the charter[b] for mankind, O Lord God!

20 “What more can David say to you, and you surely know your servant, Lord God. 21 For the sake of your word and consistent with your desire,[c] you have done all of these great things, informing your servant. 22 And therefore you are great, Lord God, there is no one like you, there is no God except for you, just as we’ve heard with our own ears.

23 “And who is like your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to carry out for them great and awe-inspiring accomplishments, driving out nations and their gods in front of your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt? 24 You have prepared your people Israel to be your very own people for ever, and you, Lord, have become their God!

25 “And now, Lord God, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done—and let it be done just as you’ve promised. 26 May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you. 27 For you, Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant, telling him, ‘I will build a dynasty for you,’ so that your servant has found fortitude[d] to pray this prayer to you.

28 “Now therefore, Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have spoken to your servant these good things. 29 So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord God, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 7:18 Lit. house or household, and so throughout the chapter
  2. 2 Samuel 7:19 Or law or instruction
  3. 2 Samuel 7:21 Lit. heart; cf. Eph 1:5
  4. 2 Samuel 7:27 Lit. heart