Power and Humility

Hey there,

A while back I had to write a paper for one of my classes. Nothing big. Just one page about a person or event in 1 or 2 Samuel that stood out to me, spoke to me or taught me something. I thought I might as well share it with you.

2 Samuel 7:18-19a

Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far? And yet this was insignificant in your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future.

First and Second Samuel have been some of my favorite books to study in class so far because they are so full of beautiful and encouraging stories. How was I to choose just one to write about? For my interactive paper, I originally chose to write about 1 Samuel 24:5 which speaks of David’s strong conscience after cutting off a corner of Saul’s robe in a cave. However, as I read and reread and wrote and rewrote our memory verse from the previous week it’s beauty suddenly jumped off the page at me. As I dwelt on it, it’s depth just grabbed me. So, at the last moment, I changed my mind and decided to write my interactive paper on 2 Samuel 7:18-19a. These verses really demonstrated to me David’s great humility and God’s even greater power. They were eye-opening, encouraging and an example to me in my walk with Christ.

Verse 18 begins with the word “then” which indicates that there was something before on which these verses hinge. To understand what David is saying and why he is saying it we must read what happens before these verses. In the chapters previous, we see David’s deep desire to serve and please the Lord. He brought the ark of God to Jerusalem and he desired to build God a temple. Chapter 7 verse 2 says, “that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.” But, God told him that he was not to be the one to build His temple but He had something better for him. God promised David that the Messiah would come through his line. Verse 16 says, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” This sets the scene for the verses I chose. David has just been given one of the greatest blessings!

Next, the writer specifies who is speaking in these verses; David. But, not just any David. It is David the king! He was no longer a shepherd boy, a harp player for Saul or a refugee in the wilderness. At this moment he was the most well known, powerful and wealthy man in all Israel. And yet despite all this, he went and sat in the presence of God and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?”. I think this picture of the king of Israel just sitting in the presence of God and speaking to Him is so beautiful. How often do we take the time to just sit in the presence of God and talked with him? How often do we give Him our undivided attention? David saw himself as completely unworthy of all God had given him and blessed him with. He recognized that God had not blessed him because of who he was or his accomplishments. But, it was out of His greatness and love. So often I am prone to think I am deserving of God’s blessings as if He owes me something. But, God owes me nothing at all. Who am I that God has given me all He has and brought me to this place? It is not because of who I am or that God has blessed me. God has blessed me because of His great power and love and faithfulness.

When David says, “You have brought me this far?” he is also acknowledging that it is God that brought him that far. He knew that he could not have gotten to where he was without the Lord’s hand in his life. He knew that everything he had was God’s. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” David Humbled himself before the Lord and the Lord continued to bless him. I have a tendency to think that I have what I have on my own efforts and accomplishments. However, everything that I have God has given me. It is God and God alone that has brought me this far!

“And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes.” David saw all his blessings and knew that even though it was amazing to him it was nothing to God. He knew that God could do that all over again and so much more for He is the creator of Heaven and Earth. And the God of the universe who has infinite power has chosen to bless David and me! What an amazing and beautiful picture! All this, all we have, everything is so insignificant to God. That just shows the great power and size and majesty of our God whom we get to call savior, king, and father! 

Chapter 7 of 2 Samuel is such a beautiful and powerful chapter when I took the time to sit and read it and sake it all in. I always knew that David was a hero of the old testament. But, this chapter really opened my eyes to the reality of it. In my eyes, it wasn’t his victory over Goliath or his many victories over the other nations that made him a hero. It was his wonderful example of dependence on God, humility before God, reverence for God, and faith in God that made him a hero. He reflected God’s power and glory and might so beautifully in his speech and throughout his life. David was definitely not a perfect man but he still is such an example to me in how I am supposed to live my life with God and these couple of verses are just the beginning and a glimpse of it.

Darcy-Rea