What gave David confidence to pray after Nathan delivered God’s words?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

David said that God’s revelation that he would build David a house gave him confidence to pray; he asked God to establish the promised word for ever and do as he had said.

Chapter breakdown

David’s purpose to build a temple is followed by great promises and his thanksgiving.

While David lived in his house, he told Nathan the prophet that he lived in a house of cedar while the ark of the Lord’s covenant was under skins. Nathan told him to do all that was in his heart because God was with him. That night God’s word came to Nathan with a different instruction: tell David, the Lord’s servant, that he was not to build a house for God to dwell in. God said that from the time he brought up Israel he had not remained in a house, but had moved in a tabernacle and tent, abiding with all Israel. He asked whether he had ever told any judge charged to feed his people to build him a cedar house.

The Lord of hosts told Nathan to remind David that he had taken him from the pastures and following the flock to rule Israel. He had been with David wherever he went, slain his enemies before him and made his name like those of the great ones renowned in the earth. He had given Israel a place where they would be planted, dwell and be moved no more. The children of iniquity would no longer waste them as at the beginning, since the days when he gave judges to Israel. He had humbled David’s enemies and declared that the Lord would build David a house.

When David ended his days and went to his fathers, God would raise up his seed after him from his sons and establish his kingdom. That son would build God a house, and God would establish his throne for ever. God would be his father and he would be God’s son. God would not withdraw mercy from him as from the one before David. He would settle him in his house and kingdom for ever, and his throne would be most firm for ever. Nathan spoke to David according to all these words and the whole vision.

David came and sat before the Lord. He asked who he was and what his house was that God should give him such things. Even this had seemed little to God, who had also spoken of his servant’s house for the future and made David remarkable above all men. David asked what more he could add, since God had glorified and known his servant. He said God had shown this magnificence for his servant’s sake, according to his own heart, and wanted these great things to be known.

David said there was no one like the Lord and no other God beside him, according to all they had heard. He asked what nation on earth was like Israel, whom God had delivered to make a people for himself. By his greatness and terrors God had cast out nations before the people he delivered from Egypt. He had made Israel his own people for ever and become their God.

David asked the Lord to establish for ever the word spoken to his servant and his house, and do as he had said. He asked that God’s name remain and be magnified for ever, with people declaring that the Lord of hosts was Israel’s God and David’s house remained before him. God had revealed that he would build his servant a house, and this gave David confidence to pray. David acknowledged that the Lord was God and had promised these great benefits. God had begun to bless his house so it could remain before him always; because the Lord blessed it, it would be blessed for ever.

The story inside

David points out the difference between his cedar house and the ark under skins. Nathan first encourages him, but the word received that night tells him David is not to build God’s house. God recalls his movement with Israel and that he had not asked its judges for a cedar house. The message then recalls David’s calling, help against enemies and Israel’s promised settled place. God will build David a house; after David’s death, a son will build God a house and receive the promises of established kingdom, fatherhood, mercy and a firm throne. Nathan delivers the full message. David sits before the Lord, speaks of the greatness shown to him and Israel, and asks for the word to be established. He explicitly connects his confidence to pray with the revealed promise concerning his house.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Nathan’s first answer and the night’s message must remain distinct. He initially tells David to do what is in his heart because God is with him. God’s later word says David is not to build the house and recalls that no judge had been asked for a cedar house. The chapter does not explain David’s feelings about luxury or add a motive for Nathan’s first answer.
2
The future promises keep their timing and relationships. God will raise David’s seed from his sons after David’s days end; that son will build the house. God promises a kingdom, lasting throne, father-and-son relationship and mercy that will not be removed as from the predecessor. These are promises in the message, not a report here of the building’s completion or an identification of the unnamed son.
3
David gives a specific reason for his confidence. God has revealed that he will build him a house, so David finds confidence to pray and asks for that word to be established. His thanksgiving also names Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and belonging to God. The prayer concerns these stated gifts and promises without becoming a general rule about every person’s feelings or every blessing.

Test your recall

David contrasts his cedar house with the ark under skins → Nathan encourages him → God’s word that night tells Nathan David must not build the house. God recalls David’s calling and help → promises David a house and a son after his death with an established kingdom → Nathan delivers the whole message. The revealed house promise gives David confidence → he sits before the Lord in thanksgiving and asks God to establish the word for ever.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 43124–43127
1 Paralipomenon Chapter 17 David’s purpose to build a temple, is rewarded by most ample promises: David’s thanksgiving.
Lines 43129–43147
17:1. Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins. 17:2. And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee. 17:3. Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: 17:4. Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in. 17:5. For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent, 17:6. Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
Lines 43149–43163
17:7. Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel. 17:8. And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth. 17:9. And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning, 17:10. Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.
Lines 43165–43180
17:11. And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom. 17:12. He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever. 17:13. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee. 17:14. But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever. 17:15. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
Lines 43182–43195
17:16. And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou shouldst give such things to me? 17:17. But even this hath seemed little in thy sight, and therefore thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for the time to come: and hast made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God. 17:18. What can David add more, seeing thou hast thus glorified thy servant, and known him? 17:19. O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, according to thy own heart, thou hast shewn all this magnificence, and wouldst have all the great things to be known.
Lines 43197–43206
17:20. O Lord there is none like thee: and here is no other God beside thee, of all whom we have heard of with our ears. 17:21. For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people Israel, whom God went to deliver, and make a people for himself, and by his greatness and terrors cast out nations before their face whom he had delivered out of Egypt? 17:22. And thou hast made thy people Israel to be thy own people for ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God.
Lines 43208–43227
17:23. Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast said. 17:24. And let thy name remain and be magnified for ever: and let it be said: The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, and the house of David his servant remaineth before him. 17:25. For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant hath found confidence to pray before thee. 17:26. And now O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy servant such great benefits. 17:27. And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be always before thee: for seeing thou blessest it, O Lord, it shall be blessed for ever.