God’s Covenant with David
And it was, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet: “Look — I am sitting in a house of cedars, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under curtains.”
And Nathan said to David, “All that is in your heart, do — for God is with you.”
And it was that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
“Go, and say to David my servant: Thus says the LORD: It is not you who will build me the house to dwell in.
For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought up Israel to this day; I have been from tent to tent, and from one dwelling place to another.
In all my going about among all Israel, did I speak a word with one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedars?
And now, thus you shall say to my servant, to David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I myself took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be leader over my people Israel.
And I have been with you wherever you have walked, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.
And I will set a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they will dwell in their own place and tremble no more; and the sons of wickedness will not wear them down again, as at the first,
from the days when I commanded judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. And I declare to you: a house — the LORD will build one for you.
And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled to go to be with your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, who shall be from among your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He is the one who will build me a house — and I will establish his throne forever.
I myself will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. And my loyal love I will not take away from him, as I took it away from the one who was before you.
And I will set him standing in my house and in my kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.”
According to all these words, and according to all this vision — so Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving
And King David came and sat before the LORD, and said: “Who am I, LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?
And this was small in your eyes, O God; and you have spoken concerning the house of your servant for far ahead, and have seen me as in the rank of a man of high standing, LORD God.
What more can David add to you, for the honor of your servant? You yourself know your servant.
LORD, for the sake of your servant, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness — to make known all these great things.
LORD, there is none like you, and there is no God except you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
And who is like your people Israel — one nation on the earth whom God went to ransom for himself as a people, to make yourself a name of great and fearsome things — driving out nations before your people, whom you ransomed from Egypt?
And you made your people Israel your own people forever; and you, LORD, became their God.
And now, LORD — the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, let it be confirmed forever; and do as you have spoken.
Let it be confirmed — and let your name be great forever, saying: The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is God to Israel; and the house of David your servant is established before you.
For you, my God, have uncovered the ear of your servant, that you will build him a house. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you.
And now, LORD, you are God — and you have spoken this good thing concerning your servant.
And now, you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, to be forever before you. For you, LORD, have blessed — and it is blessed forever.”