Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 7

The greatness of God’s kindness

2 Samuel 7:18-19

The promises that God made to David about the future of his family were very wonderful (7:5-16). Those promises astonished David. God’s kindness to him was so much greater than anything that David could even imagine.

David loved God, and he trusted God completely (Psalm 18:1-2). He desired always to do what is right and good (Psalm 101). He truly respected God’s law (Psalm 19:7-11); he wanted only to do what pleases God (Psalm 40:8). However, David did not think that he could ever earn God’s kindness (Romans 4:4-8). God’s promises to him were not a reward that David had earned. The only reason why God made those promises was the goodness of God. David realised that fact. His prayer expresses to God how grateful David was for God’s goodness.

In that prayer, David asks whether God usually deals with people in this way. David meant that God’s promises to him were truly extraordinary. God had separated his family from every other family on earth, to receive the benefit of these promises.

However, in another sense, we could say that God does usually deal with his people in this way. He shows them love that they do not deserve. He shows them kindness that they could never earn (Romans chapter 4). He does that, not because of their goodness but because of his own goodness. We sometimes call that kindness: the grace of God (see Ephesians 2:11-13 and 1 Peter 2:9-10).

Next part: God's word and his will (2 Samuel 7:20-21)

 

Please use the links at the top of the page to find our other articles in this series. You can download all our articles if you go to the download page for our free 1000+ page course book.

 

© 2023, Keith Simons.