2 Samuel

[0:00] So, Lord, may we be pleased to help me this evening. I'll direct you to a word in the second book of Samuel, the seventh chapter, and verse 18.

[0:18] Then went King David in and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto?

[0:34] The second book of Samuel, chapter 7 and verse 18. Then went King David in and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto?

[0:59] Amen. This word I have read this evening seems to rest much upon the mind for some who don't know, especially thinking of this service this evening, desiring that there might be given a word which is seasonable to consider, and the word has seemed to remain with me, and so I venture with it this evening, and hope that the Lord may be pleased to help us to speak a few things in connection with it, which may be, if it is the Lord's will, a word in season, and that which indeed, as we desire it to be, that which is of the glory of his name, and the prophet of our souls.

[1:59] And this word concerning David is a beautiful word. We read about David as being a man after God's own heart, and there were times when this was so evidently so.

[2:18] And while on the other hand, the word of God clearly shows this, that he was but a poor sinner, and as being such, and when death to himself, it was made solemnly evident that it was so.

[2:35] He had some very solemn and painful lessons to learn with respect to this. But then we see what he was by the grace of God, what the Lord had been pleased to do for him, and surely in this word before us, we have the wonderful evidence of the fruit of grace within the dear man's heart.

[3:02] That which was of God, and we notice that that which is of the Lord will be to him. That which the Lord gives, as it were, it returns to him.

[3:15] If the Lord is pleased to grant us a truly thankful heart, it is thanksgiving to the Lord.

[3:27] And how this was so in the case of David, in those beautiful psalms which he was inspired to write, those psalms of praise I'm thinking of at this present time.

[3:42] psalms wherein he expresses that heartfelt desire to render unto the Lord the glory that was due unto his holy name.

[3:56] And especially as he had a humbling sense of God's goodness toward him. And it was so at the time when he was found in the place, as the word tells us, before the Lord.

[4:18] Then went King David in and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto?

[4:32] Or there was something that had been kindled in his heart, a sense of God's great goodness toward him. And we see how he was humbled under a realisation of this.

[4:47] And how desirable it is to know something of this. While we might have to confess, most of us perhaps, that there seems to be little praise in our religion.

[5:04] And yet, there is this aspect of that which is of the Spirit of God. Yea, indeed, the Lord is pleased to work in the hearts of his dear people, and it is his will to this end that they should render praise to him.

[5:30] Think of a word. This people have I formed for myself, and they shall show forth my praise. And so what a mercy, dear friends, if we're not altogether strangers to a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness of heart.

[5:54] Or other times when we have felt a little humble and a sense of God's mercy toward us. And a sense of this is very humbling.

[6:06] It should be. And the psalmist reminds us, David reminds us of this in what he says here. And I hope there are those of us who can join with the service in this.

[6:36] And I believe it is the desire of our dear friends. And we especially remember this evening, who desire it is that we should gather this evening for this purpose, to acknowledge God's goodness.

[6:54] And the word seems to fit in. And I feel persuaded that there's something of this deep down in the heart of each of our dear friends, as I desire to render unto the Lord the glory that is due unto his name, for his great goodness and his many mercies.

[7:16] So, let's say, we should look to the witness. Now, we would seek to consider a few things relative to this word this evening.

[7:27] And we would just notice the circumstances of the text. And as the surrounding verses tell us, and the chapter in which the word is found.

[7:42] And it begins like this. and it came to pass when the king, King David sat in his house and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies we'll just notice this first let us consider the circumstances that David was in at this time that which brought him to this very desirable and very blessed posture to be in now the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies as we know David in his life was a man of war he often had to fight battles he had enemies to contend with there were times when he feared that those enemies would completely overwhelm him but he lived to see the Lord's merciful protection over him and that the Lord was indeed with him even in those very dangerous times when he was in the midst of many enemies and those who sought to lay him low now the Lord gave him rest so then just two things here to begin with with regard to David as the circumstances he was found in at this time there was a, as it were, a little cessation from the strife and the Lord had given him rest and I like to think of this and the Lord does give rest to his dear people

[9:36] I know there is that rest that is to come that eternal rest that rest that remaineth to the people of God that there is also a rest to be known here below in the midst of the strife as it were in the midst of the pathway but it is as the Lord gives it and when the Lord gives a little rest in the spirit and that rest in him and a little rest as it were from the conflict and we must think of this that as it was with David literally so it is in measure with all those whom God deals with graciously in whose hearts his Holy Spirit is at work there will indeed be a conflict yes and there will indeed be those spiritual enemies yes those things to contend with and some things close home as it were you have to realise sometimes what an enemy self is and the workings of Satan and how he proves to be an enemy to the Lord's people and the scripture so clearly shows to us that the pathway of life to God's dear people is a pathway of conflict but there is this

[11:20] David was not left to fight his battles alone but the Lord was with him and there were those evident times when the Lord gave him the victory of his enemies and as it was at this time the Lord gave him rest round about from all his enemies there was this cessation of strife as it were for the time being for the Lord had given him rest but then I would notice further how this was sanctified to him he was not at this time left to a as it were a spirit of indifference to things nor was it at this time in any way as it were to be left in a spirit of slothfulness but while there was this sense of rest which the Lord had given him we find that he thinks of the things of God and that which pertained to the worship of God and so much so that it is evident that Nathan was with the king in his house at this time for in the second verse we have this that the king said unto Nathan the prophet see now

[12:57] I dwell in the house of Cedar but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains and Nathan said to the king go do all that is in thine heart for the Lord is with thee now we see here how that the things pertaining to God's worship and that which was indeed the secret of the prosperity of God's chosen people when the ark was in their midst and previous to this you'll read how that the ark had been out of the hands of the Israelites for some long time and when David was placed upon the throne it was one of his early concerns that this ark should be brought back and that there should be a resting place for the ark and the Lord in due time prospered David in this so although there was that very solid occasion when there were those who attempted to bring the ark from

[14:20] Kujat during and they put it on a new cart but things went very ill as you know and there was that which even made David tremble and he thought afraid but in due time the Lord made it known to David that he had a purpose of favour to reward him with respect to this which was his heart's desire that there might be a resting place for the ark of God and as you know the ark was brought to Zion yes and this was a day when David felt favoured and he could worship God as he was privileged to see that the ark was brought into a resting place but now he considers this further and he considers as it were the many mercies which surrounded him and the prosperity that

[15:36] God had given him where he said see now I dwell in the house of Caesar but the ark of God dwell within curtains at this time there was the ark in just a tent for the time being and he was concerned about this and there's one more point I would notice here with David leading up to this word here as the Lord gave him rest his thoughts go to God's house and things pertaining to his worship now how good it is when it works like this when there is a realisation of God's mercies and then it comes to this that you're brought to consider the things that are to do with

[16:36] God and his house and David did desire to honour the Lord and that there might be as it were a suitable resting place for the ark of God but then while in the first page Nathan encourages him in this and he says go to all that is in thine heart for the Lord is with thee the Lord revealed to the prophet Nathan that it was not his will that David should build a temple for the ark and it was the outcome of this message which Nathan had to bring to David with regard to that which was in his heart that at length brought David to the point in the text which I have read so the next thing

[17:42] I would notice is this as David King David comes and sits before the Lord and makes his humble acknowledgement and desires to thank the Lord there were those things which while he had them in his heart to do it it was revealed to him that it was not the Lord's will that it should be so and now do we not see here also that David was given a steady submission to that which was the revealed will of God concerning the ark and that David should not have the privilege to build that temple but his son but we say that David was given that spirit of submission and now here's something else how desirable it is to be given that submissive will yes that submission to what the

[18:56] Lord's will is between I would just say the will of the Lord be done maybe David perhaps felt a little disappointed that he was not privileged to build this temple and yet he found that he was submissive he was humbled before God and then Nathan was also sent to speak some very blessed things concerning what the Lord would do and there were those promises which the Lord made known to David through Nathan the prophet yes that with respect and the future now in the light of these things it was in this way that

[19:58] David comes to this point and while you see the first place he's sitting in his house and he's pondering these things over he's meditating upon them first upon the goodness of God toward him and giving rest round about from his enemies there was a little cessation in the conflict and then he thinks of the house of God he thinks of that which pertains to the worship of God and that which was to the glory of his name he has a word from the prophet concerning what the Lord's will was with regard to these things and then there was this great word of promise which God spake to David through the prophet and now we come to this word according to all these words and according to all this vision so did

[21:10] Nathan speak unto David and there's one outstanding theme in this vision that Nathan was given to make known to David and it was with respect to the Lord's mercy toward him and there was a reminder of how the Lord had led him along right from youthful days and I just call your attention to what is said in verse 8 and it is the word of the Lord to Nathan and what he was to make known to David now therefore so shall thou say unto my servant David thus said the Lord of hosts I took thee from the sheep out from following the sheep to be ruler over my people over

[22:16] Israel and I was with them with us wherever thou went and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight and have made thee a great name mark unto the name of the great men that are in the earth moreover I will appoint a place for my people this way and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more then came David in and sat before the Lord it yes now let us say to consider David here and how he was humbled under a sense of God's mercy but he goes and the word says and he sat before the Lord it was in the heart of

[23:20] David to and he disopered to render unto the Lord the praise and the thanks that was due unto his holy name now you might think well David could have done this as he sat in his house yes when the king sat in his house he could have thanked the Lord in his heart the Lord knows the hearts of all his people true and it becomes us in our homes and in our private lives indeed to render thanks to the Lord for his mercies to us but there's something particular about this then went king David in and sat before the Lord it was as though his spirit was moved and he desired to as it were in that special particular way be found before the

[24:22] Lord and we find David here as it were in the true attitude of worship and while as yet there was not the temple to go into but it will imply that David went to where the ark did then reside yes as David had pitched a tent for it and he had appointed as we have read in the chapter and there's of course this word is a parallel to the word in the prophets how that David had appointed those priests who were to attend to the worship of God and it would appear that David as his heart was moved it moved his feet and it moved his feet toward the place where the ark then did reside now what a mercy when there is something of this and while as I've said it becomes us to be thankful for mercies yes as we are in our own homes privately but then there is the public acknowledgement then went

[25:44] King David in and sat before the Lord and I will just notice this with you and he sat before the Lord and when we gather together whenever we gather together in God's earthly courts in these gospel lives it is well if we remember that we are before the Lord and I did think of how Cornelius felt when Peter was come to him and it is a good word to ponder and what Cornelius said when Peter arrived we're all here present before God to hear the things commanded thee of God or if we could always remember that we are before the Lord when we are in the house of prayer how desirable this would be and yet it is so everyone of them in Zion appeared before God the psalmist declared and so it is and when we come to his earthly courts we are before the Lord the Lord who searches our hearts and knows our motives what a mercy if there is something deep down in our hearts that was found in the heart of King

[27:15] David for we find that he was humble before God and though he was King David and though he was the head of the nation as God had raised him up to be that king and all of his life yet he sits before the Lord and he sits there not so much as the king of Israel but there is a poor sinner whom the Lord dealt graciously with and he has remembered to see his beginnings and how the Lord took him from the sheep out and from pulling the sheep and he discerns how the Lord's hand had been with him and helped him along and delivered him in times of trouble being a help to him from his enemies supplied his needs lifted him up when he had been brought so low and strengthened him when he felt so weak then went king

[28:28] David in and sat before the Lord and he said who am I a Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto surely we may think of this perhaps physically in a twofold way he realises he is before God he desires to render unto the Lord the praise and the glory that was due unto his holy name he is not ignorant to see of God with whom he had to do he was humbled before the Lord he had a sense of the Lord's favour toward him yes and I think of one word in the psalm he says

[29:30] I'll taste and see that the Lord is God and now David had those tastes of the goodness of the Lord and so he's no stranger to what God is as the God of all grace to his dear people and then he was no stranger to what he was in stone and he makes as it were this inquiry this question as it were he puts here who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither to and surely David is in considered things he would happily come to that conclusion that it was because the Lord had a favour toward him that he was what he was and where he was at this time not that he could look back and deserve where he had deserved any merit where he had merited any of

[30:33] God's favour toward him no because he says call my O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither to you remember it was for a poor shepherd boy in his early days and yet the Lord had made now his favour toward him that is special and particular way and he was humbled under a sense of this who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither to and I want to link this to the word in the twentieth verse and what can David say more unto thee for thou Lord God now is thy servant now he sat before the Lord he had that realisation that the

[31:33] Lord knew all about him yes the Lord before whom he sat is that omniscient one nothing is hid from him and David realised that the Lord knew all about him and what would this do for him to consider first that the Lord knew all about his sins his many filings and short camels all this was known to the Lord the Lord would know all about the emails of his heart this was known to the Lord for thou Lord God knowest thy servant but then he could appeal to the Lord in humbleness of spirit that the Lord knew his desire for thou

[32:38] Lord God knowest thy servant who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither to and could he not in humbleness of spirit appeal as it were to the Lord in that way in that he could realise that the Lord knew what his heart's desire was and now what a mercy if we can enter a little into this and I believe I can say it is the desire of our hated friends here as they would render thanks to the Lord a sense of this for their Lord God now thy servant and now the heart desire and that is to render unto the Lord the praise and thanks that is due unto his name for my

[33:43] O Lord God and what is my house that thou has brought me hitherto and lastly or notice then that thou hast brought me hitherto as he said before the Lord as he desires to acknowledge God's goodness toward him he has to acknowledge this that thou hast brought me hitherto in other words hitherto hath the Lord helped me and it does not remind us of that occasion earlier in Samuel's time when Samuel did before Israel acknowledge the goodness of God there was that stone set up between Misfa and shame yes

[34:45] Ebenezer hitherto hath the Lord helped us then we go over to the apostle Paul in the new testament and what did he say having obtained help of God I continue unto this day and here the dear son is before us David and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto oh he has to realise that the Lord has brought him to that moment to this particular moment of time the Lord has preserved him protected him and spared him and does not remind us of what even Jeremiah was enabled to realise in the midst of all his weeping and afflictions it is of the

[35:48] Lord's mercies that we are not consumed and because his compassions fail not that thou hast brought me hitherto what a mercy if we can say yes yes being brought thus far it is that the Lord has godly this strength and grace and it is by his grace that we continue who am I oh Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto and so then he sits before the Lord and this shows to us I believe the secret of true worship and he seeks to remember the past how the Lord had upheld and maintained him preserved him supplied his every need and at this time had granted him rest round about from his enemies but then this is not all in the 19th verse we read this that thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come and is this the manner of man

[37:17] O Lord God and what can David say more unto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy servant so then there was the future now how desirable it is may the Lord grant this or that we might know a little more of this as there is the remembrance of past mercies there is the prospect before and why is this it is because of who the Lord is yes as the God of all grace and the God of his people that he will not suffer his faithfulness to fail because he is that Lord God who changes not he who has declared I am the

[38:19] Lord I change not therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed he changes not we may have we know what it is to have our changing experiences may sometimes perhaps be somewhat overwhelmed with fears and faintings but also remember that the Lord is the same and I think of what one who says and could he have taught me to trust in his name and thus have brought me to put me to shine all this could ever be now the Lord is God he is faithful he is gracious and while David had to realise that indeed it was not for anything that

[39:19] David was that the Lord had brought him to that point it was by his grace he had been brought hitherto and this was the hope for the future and the Lord was pleased by the mouth of the prophet Nathan to intimate this that thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great war to come and there is the prospect and I do hope our dear friends may we help sometimes to think of the prospect yes and how can we how can we sum it out I think of the words of one song the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk out rightly then went

[40:24] King David in and sat before the Lord and he said who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto do my Lord bless the spirit of heart bless his own word to our hearts Amen