THERE IS NO ONE LIKE YOU, LORD!
2 Samuel 7:18-29
“How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. (22)
chapter 7
18. Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?
19. And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant - and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!
20. "What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord.
21. For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
22. "How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.
23. And who is like your people Israel - the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?
24. You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
25. "And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised,
26. so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ’The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.
27. "Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ’I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.
28. Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.
29. Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1. Upon hearing God’s message through Nathan, David sat before the LORD – learning to dwell in God’s presence. Previously he spoke about the Lord; now David addresses God personally (17x by name, another 40 by pronoun!) God’s answer of “no” to David’s plans reminded David of his place under God, and how blessed he had been by God, let alone that God was preparing an even greater future for David’s family and kingdom!
2. It takes courage to sit before God in worship and praise, when we often feel there is so much to be done. But as David reflected on God’s greatness, he came to realize that everything great was not done by David or people, but God himself – who redeemed Israel for Himself through great and awesome wonders, establishing them forever. Even the promise of blessing to David’s family would only further cement the greatness of God in the world, so David no longer puts forth plans to do something for God, but rather prays: “Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever”.
3. The Sovereign LORD’s covenant is trustworthy. All that he promised to David he fulfilled in Jesus. We are the ones blessed in his house forever.
Prayer: Father, thank you for keeping your promise by which I am eternally blessed. Remind me of my place before you so I may never despise the blessing of entering your presence through Jesus.
One Word: Sit before the Lord in worship