Gratitude for God’s Promises

2 Samuel 7:28 (ESV) … “And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.”

If it be possible. If it can be done. This expression implies that it could not always be done. Still it should be an object of desire; and we should endeavour to obtain it.

These verses are a prayer of thanksgiving borne as a natural response to God’s promises. The phrase “David went in and sat before the Lord” (v. 18) probably means that he went into the tent shrine and sat down before the ark of God. The characteristics of this response might serve as a model for any Christian who has been over whelmed by a sense of God’s grace. It anticipates in spirit many of the psalms of thanksgiving.

There is a genuine sense of humility. David picked up on God’s reminder that He had taken him “from the sheepfold” (v. 8) and raised the question many reflective Christians raise: “Who am I … that You have brought me this far?” (v. 18). Sitting before the Lord, David’s mind ran back to the beginning, to Samuel’s visit to his father’s house. He was overwhelmed at the memory of all the good things which God had done from that day on to bring him to the throne in Jerusalem and to bring peace and prosperity to Israel. One of our great temptations is to take the blessings of God for granted. It is good for our spiritual life to sit before God and remember how far He has brought us.

There is a sense of gratitude for God’s promises. David had lived through a period of great uncertainty, not sure whether he would ever be king over Israel. He softened God’s “forever” (v. 16) to “a great while to come” (v. 19). He was speechless before God, “What more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, know Your servant” (v. 20). He recovers sufficiently to compare the God of Israel with the gods of the other nations (vv. 22–24) as he places God’s gifts to him in a historical context. Then he rehearses the promises that God has made to him (vv. 25–29), not so much to remind God but to remind himself once again of the greatness of God as reflected in His promises.[1]

[1] Chafin, K. L., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1989). 1, 2 Samuel (Vol. 8, pp. 261–262). Thomas Nelson Inc.