2 Samuel 7:21

2Sa 7:21 For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know [them].

Ver. 21. For thy word’s sake,] i.e., For thy Christ’s sake, saith Junius: or for thy promise’s sake made unto me by Nathan, as 2Sa 7:25.

And according to thine own heart, &c., ] i.e., Ex mere motu, out of pure and unexcited love thou didst give thy word and promise: and for thy word’s sake thou wilt perform it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7:21 God’s will, rather than David’s personal ambition, enabled David to accomplish great things. • you have done: David spoke of what God promised to do for his heirs over the generations as an already-accomplished fact, showing his unshakable belief in God’s faithfulness.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

21. For thy word’s sake] To fulfil Thy promises made to me through Samuel. The reading of 1Ch_17:19, and of the LXX. here, is for thy servant’s sake.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For thy word's sake,.... For the sake of the promise he had made to him by Samuel, that he should be king, and his kingdom should be established; or for the sake of the Messiah, that should spring from him; the Memra, as the Targum, the essential Word of God; and so the Septuagint version, "because of thy servant", with which agrees the parallel text in Ch1 17:19,

and according to thine own heart; of his own sovereign good will and pleasure, of his own grace, as the Arabic version, and not according to the merits and deserts of David:

hast thou done all these great things; in making him king of Israel, and settling the kingdom in his posterity to the times of the Messiah, who should spring from him:

to make thy servant know them; as he now did by Nathan the prophet, what he and his should enjoy for time to come; so that it is not only a blessing to have favours designed, purposed, and promised, but to have the knowledge of them, to know the things that are freely given of God.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Word’s sake. Some copies (Haydock) of the Septuagint read "servant’s sake," as 1 Paralipomenon xvii. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

For thy word’s sake; that thou mightest fulfil thy promises made to me by Samuel and Nathan, and thereby demonstrate thy faithfulness.

According to thine own heart, i. e. of thine own mere liberality and good pleasure, without any desert of mine. So far was David, though now a very gracious man, from thinking his actions meritorious.

To make thy servant know them, i.e. that thy gracious and wonderful purposes of mercy towards me, which lay hid in thine own heart, might be manifested unto me and others by thy most kind words and actions. So it agrees with 1Ch 17:19.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. For thy word’s sake — The word is the promise of the perpetuity of the throne of David, which was magnified before all Israel, and in later times referred to as the “sure mercies of David.” The Divine purpose to exalt the throne of David involved, also, the purpose of magnifying the word of prophecy.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For thy word"s sake; In 1Ch_17:19 we read, "For thy servant"s sake." The phrase seemed, perhaps, to the Chronicler difficult, but it does not mean "because of thy previous promise," for no such promise had been given, but "because thou hast now said it." Nor does it imply pre-existing merit in David, but that God had now chosen to declare his will, and what was according to his own heart. It thus makes God"s own good will and pleasure the cause of the great honours bestowed upon David. Instead of these great things, the Hebrew has this great thing; that is, the lasting continuance of David"s family.

God"s works and God"s heart and words.

David looks on those great things which God had promised him as if already accomplished, so great confidence had he in the power and faithfulness of the Promiser; and, conscious that they were due to no worthiness or power of his own, he acknowledges that all originated in the heart of God and were simply in fulfilment of his word, by which they had become known to himself. For the will and the work and the word he praises God.

I GOD DOES GREAT THINGS ON BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE. The works of creation are great and according to his own heart, originating in himself, and on a scale proportionate to his own greatness. So with the works of his providence. But we will apply the words to redemption. The works included in this are indeed great. They are on a scale of grandeur worthy of God.

1. The methods employed are great. The Incarnation the union of God and man in one Person. The display of the glory of God in the earthly life of Christ, and at his death, resurrection, and ascension. His exaltation to be "Lord of all." The descent and operations of the Holy Spirit.

2. The work effected on behalf of man is great. The atonement especially, and all involved in it. The conquest over sin and Satan and death. The opening of the way to God and heaven.

3. The work wrought in and towards men is great.

(1) In respect to each believer. Illumination, regeneration, pardon, peace, holiness, perfection, glory everlasting, together with the special guidance and government of God"s providence tending to and issuing in these great results.

(2) In respect to the multitude redeemed and saved.

(3) In respect to the final deliverance and exaltation with the Church of the whole creation (Rom_8:19-22; Eph_1:10)

II GOD DOES THESE GREAT THINGS "ACCORDING TO HIS OWN HEART.

1. They spring from his heart. They are done spontaneously, of his own free grace and will "his own good pleasure." Not at the prompting of others, for none other could have conceived them. Not under a sense of obligation, for we had no claim upon him, except that our sin and misery appealed to his compassion. They originated in the Divine mind, sprang from the Divine love.

2. They befit his heart. They bear the stamp of the Divine nature; are worthy of his infinite wisdom, righteousness, benevolence, and power; are the grandest display of them. "It became him," etc.. (Heb_2:10)

All thy ways Are worthy of thyself Divine; But the bright glories of thy grace Beyond thine other wonders shine.

III GOD DOES THESE GREAT THINGS IN FULFILMENT OF HIS OWN WORD. "For thy Word"s sake.

1. He announces them by his Word. "To make thy servant know them." The things which God has done and will do he makes known. It is thus they become available to each and all to whom the Word is communicated. For the knowledge is the chief part of the means by which salvation is wrought. "The gospel... is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Rom_1:16; see also (Rom_10:13, Rom_10:14; 1Co_1:17, 1Co_1:18, 1Co_1:23; Jam_1:18; 1Pe_1:22, 1Pe_1:23) Thus also we are assured of the completion of the work of redemption. For by the promises our God lays himself under obligation to perfect the salvation of all believers. It is, therefore, a great privilege to know these great things which God works.

2. He accomplishes them according to his Word. He cannot do otherwise. He "cannot lie". (Tit_1:2) "He abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself". (2Ti_2:13) Moreover, "what he hath promised, he is able also to perform". (Rom_4:21) Now that he has given his Word, "for his Word"s sake" if there were no other reason, he will do "all these great things.

Then:

1. Let us, like David, adore and praise our God for his wondrous works, and for making them known to us. How glorious he appears in these works! Let us ascribe glory to him.

2. Let believers rest assured of the complete accomplishment of the work of their own redemption. They have the Word and the heart of God, and his actual works for them and in them, to give them assurance.

3. Let us fear, lest we should fail, through negligence and unbelief, to appropriate the redemption so wondrously wrought for us, notwithstanding our knowledge of it. (see Heb_2:1-4) G.W.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thy word's sake - That thou mightest fulfil thy promises made to me, and thereby demonstrate thy faithfulness. Own heart - Or thy own mere liberality and good pleasure, without any desert of mine. So far was David, though a very gracious man, from thinking his actions meritorious.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

For your word's sake

"Because of what you promised to do"

to fulfill your own purpose

"to accomplish what you planned to do"

to your servant

David refers to himself as "your servant." It can be stated in first person. AT: "to me" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

as we have heard with our own ears

The phrase "with our own ears" is used for emphasis. AT: "as we ourselves have heard" (See: Idiom)

as we have heard

Here "we" refers to David and the nation of Israel. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive "We")

What nation is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom you, God, went and rescued for yourself?

David uses a question emphasize that there is no other nation like Israel. AT: "There is no nation like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom you, God, went and rescued for yourself." (See: Rhetorical Question)

to make a name for yourself

Here "name" represents Yahweh's reputation. AT: "to make all people know who you are" (See: Metonymy)

for your land

Here "land" represents the people. AT: "for your people" (See: Metonymy)

You drove out nations

Here "nations" represents the people groups that were living in Canaan. (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

word of God

reveal

servant

Lord Yahweh

God

nation

people of God

earth

name

fear

works

cast out

false god

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Because of Your word. To fulfill that which You told Shmuel to make me king.

And due to [the will of] Your Heart. It is Your will [that I become king] and not because I am worthy.

Of which You have informed Your servant. The announcement of which You have informed me.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.