2 Samuel 7:27

For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) Therefore hath thy servant.—The ground of the believer’s prayer must ever be the lovingkindness and promises of God.

Benson Commentary

2 Samuel 7:27-29. Thy servant found it in his heart to pray this prayer — That prayer which is found in the tongue only will not please God; it must be found in the heart, which must be lifted up to God, and poured out before him. Thou art that God — Who hast declared thyself to be Israel’s God, and in particular my God. And thy words be true — Thus he relies with unshaken faith on the truth of all that God had said, and confidently expects the accomplishment of God’s promises to him. And hence, it seems, these and some other clauses of this prayer are not so much to be considered as petitions, as the overflowings of a grateful heart, touched with a sense of the greatness of these mercies, and therefore dwelling on them, and thereby showing how much it desired them. For after God had promised David these things by a prophet sent to him on purpose, it is hardly to be supposed that he would immediately begin to offer to God petitions for them in any other sense than as expressions of the very high estimation in which he held them. Indeed it is easy to see, as Delaney observes, that “his heart was wholly possessed with a subject which he did not know how to quit, because he did not know how to do justice to his own sense of the inestimable blessings poured down upon himself, and promised to his posterity; and much less to the infinite bounty of his benefactor.” That it may continue for ever before thee — When Christ for ever sat down on the right hand of God, and received all possible assurance that his seed and throne should be as the days of heaven, then this prayer was abundantly answered.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:18-29 David's prayer is full of the breathings of devout affection toward God. He had low thoughts of his own merits. All we have, must be looked upon as Divine gifts. He speaks very highly and honourably of the Lord's favours to him. Considering what the character and condition of man is, we may be amazed that God should deal with him as he does. The promise of Christ includes all; if the Lord God be ours, what more can we ask, or think of? Eph 3:20. He knows us better than we know ourselves; therefore let us be satisfied with what he has done for us. What can we say more for ourselves in our prayers, than God has said for us in his promises? David ascribes all to the free grace of God. Both the great things He had done for him, and the great things He had made known to him. All was for his word's sake, that is, for the sake of Christ the eternal Word. Many, when they go to pray, have their hearts to seek, but David's heart was found, that is, it was fixed; gathered in from its wanderings, entirely engaged to the duty, and employed in it. That prayer which is from the tongue only, will not please God; it must be found in the heart; that must be lifted up and poured out before God. He builds his faith, and hopes to speed, upon the sureness of God's promise. David prays for the performance of the promise. With God, saying and doing are not two things, as they often are with men; God will do as he hath said. The promises of God are not made to us by name, as to David, but they belong to all who believe in Jesus Christ, and plead them in his name.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore hath thy servant found in his heart ... - The promises of God are the true guide to the prayers of His people. We may dare to ask anything, how great soever it may be, which God has promised to give. In this and the two following verses David expresses the same wonder at the riches of God's grace, and the same expectation founded on that grace, which Paul does. in such passages as Ephesians 1:5-7; Ephesians 2:7, etc. marginal references.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

20. what can David say more unto thee?—that is, my obligations are greater than I can express.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Because thy promise hath given me encouragement to pray, and assurance of answer.

Found in his heart, or, found his heart, i.e. taken courage; as a man is said to lose his heart when he wants courage.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel,.... As he is called in 2 Samuel 7:26,

hast revealed to thy servant; which he otherwise could not have known:

saying, I will build thee an house; see 2 Samuel 7:11,

therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee; found his heart disposed to this service, or found freedom and boldness in him to put up this prayer to God; what encouraged and emboldened him to do it was the gracious promise of God, that he would build up his family, and establish his kingdom; or otherwise he could not have taken such liberty, and used such boldness with God in prayer, as to have requested it of him.

Geneva Study Bible

For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. hast revealed to thy servant] Lit. hast uncovered the ear of thy servant, a figure of speech said to be derived from the practice of removing the hair or a corner of the turban from another’s ear in order to whisper a secret into it. Cp. 1 Samuel 9:15.

therefore] The promise justified a prayer which otherwise would have seemed presumptuous.

found in his heart] Lit. found his heart; i.e. found courage. Cp. the phrase “to take heart.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 27. - Thou hast revealed to thy servant; Hebrew, thou hast uncovered the ear of thy servant. (see note on 1 Samuel 9:15). Hath thy servant found in his heart; Hebrew, hath found his heart. The word "heart" has a wide meaning in Hebrew, embracing both our intellectual and our moral powers. Here it simply means "courage," as in, 1 Samuel 17:32. The Revised Version puts this in the margin: "Therefore hath thy servant been bold to pray this prayer." 2 Samuel 7:27

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

David felt himself encouraged to offer this prayer through the revelation which he had received. Because God had promised to build him a house, "therefore Thy servant hath found in his heart to pray this prayer," i.e., hath found joy in doing so.