Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Samuel
Book: 2 Samuel
Chapter: 7
Overview:
David's care for the
Ark.
(1-3) God's
Covenant with
David.
(4-17) His
Prayer and thanksgiving.
(18-29)
1-3 David being at
Rest in his
Palace, considered how he might
best employ his leisure and prosperity in the service of
God. He
formed a design to build a
Temple for the
Ark.
Nathan here did
not speak as a
Prophet, but as a godly
Man, encouraging
David By
his private
Judgment. We ought to do all we can to encourage and
promote the good purposes and designs of others, and, as we have
opportunity, to forward a good work.
4-17 Blessings are promised to the family and posterity of
David. These promises relate to
Solomon,
David's immediate
successor, and the royal line of
Judah. But they also relate to
Christ, who is often called
David and the Son of
David. To him
God gave all power in
Heaven and
Earth, with authority to
execute
Judgment. He was to build the
Gospel Temple, a
House for
God's name; the spiritual
Temple of true believers, to be a
Habitation of
God through the
Spirit. The establishing of his
House, his
Throne, and his kingdom for ever, can be applied to
No other than to
Christ and his kingdom:
David's
House and
kingdom long since came to an
End. The committing iniquity
cannot be applied to the
Messiah himself, but to his spiritual
seed; true believers have infirmities, for which they must
expect to be corrected, though they are not cast off.
18-29 David's
Prayer is full of the breathings of devout
Affection toward
God. He had low thoughts of his own merits. All
we have, must be looked upon as Divine
Gifts. He speaks very
highly and honourably of the
Lord's favours to him. Considering
what the character and condition of
Man is, we may be amazed
that
God should
Deal with him as he does. The promise of
Christ
includes all; if the
Lord God be ours, what more can we ask, or
think of? Eph 3:20. He knows us better than we know ourselves;
therefore let us be satisfied with what he has done for us. What
can we say more for ourselves in our prayers, than
God has said
for us in his promises?
David ascribes all to the free
Grace of
God. Both the great things He had done for him, and the great
things He had made known to him. All was for his
Word's sake,
that is, for the sake of
Christ the eternal
Word. Many, when
they go to pray, have their hearts to seek, but
David's
Heart
was found, that is, it was fixed; gathered in from its
wanderings, entirely engaged to the duty, and employed in it.
That
Prayer which is from the tongue only, will not please
God;
it must be found in the
Heart; that must be lifted up and poured
out before
God. He builds his
Faith, and hopes to speed, upon
the sureness of
God's promise.
David prays for the performance
of the promise. With
God, saying and doing are not two things,
as they often are with men;
God will do as he hath said. The
promises of
God are not made to us
By name, as to
David, but
they belong to all who believe in
Jesus Christ, and plead them
in his name.