God’s Covenant with David

1And it came to pass as David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains of skins. 2And Nathan said to David, Do all that is in thy heart; for God is with thee.

3And it came to pass in that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 4Go and say to David my servant, Thus said the Lord, Thou shalt not build me a house for me to dwell in it. 5For I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought up Israel until this day, but I have been in a tabernacle and a tent, 6in all places through which I have gone with all Israel: did I ever speak to any one tribe of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why is it that ye have not built me a house of cedar? 7And now thus shalt thou say to my servant David, Thus saith the Lord Almighty, I took thee from the sheepfold, from following the flocks, to be a ruler over my people Israel: 8and I was with thee in all places whither thou wentest, and I destroyed all thine enemies from before thee, and I made for thee a name according to the name of the great ones that are upon the earth. 9And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant him, and he shall dwell by himself, and shall no longer be anxious; and the son of iniquity shall no longer afflict him, as at the beginning, 10and from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel. Also I have humbled all thine enemies, and I will increase thee, and the Lord will build thee a house. 11And it shall come to pass when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 12He shall build me a house, and I will set up his throne for ever. 13I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and my mercy will I not withdraw from him, as I withdrew it from them that were before thee. 14And I will establish him in my house and in his kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be set up for ever. 15According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so spoke Nathan to David.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

16And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast loved me for ever? 17And these things were little in thy sight, O God: thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for a long time to come, and thou hast looked upon me as a man looks upon his fellow, and hast exalted me, O Lord God. 18What shall David do more toward thee to glorify thee? and thou knowest thy servant. 19And thou hast wrought all this greatness according to thine heart. 20O Lord, there is none like thee, and there is no God beside thee, according to all things which we have heard with our ears. 21Neither is there another nation upon the earth such as thy people Israel, whereas God led him in the way, to redeem a people for himself, to make for himself a great and glorious name, to cast out nations from before thy people, whom thou redeemedst out of Egypt. 22And thou hast appointed thy people Israel as a people to thyself for ever; and thou, Lord, didst become a God to them.

23And now, Lord, let the word which thou spokest to thy servant, and concerning his house, be confirmed for ever, and do thou as thou hast spoken. 24And let thy name be established and magnified for ever, men saying, Lord, Lord, Almighty God of Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 25For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant that thou wilt build him a house; therefore thy servant has found a willingness to pray before thee. 26And now, Lord, thou thyself art God, and thou hast spoken these good things concerning thy servant. 27And now thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, so that it should continue for ever before thee: for thou, Lord, hast blessed it, and do thou bless it for ever.