David Offers a Prayer to God

18  King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point? 19  And you didn’t stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. Is this your usual way of dealing with men, O Lord God? 20  What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition, O Lord God! 21  For the sake of your promise and according to your purpose you have done this great thing in order to reveal it to your servant. 22  Therefore you are great, O Lord God, for there is none like you! There is no God besides you! What we have heard is true! 23  Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation on the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 24  You made Israel your very own people for all time. You, O Lord, became their God. 25  So now, O Lord God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality. Do as you promised, 26  so you may gain lasting fame, as people say, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel!’ The dynasty of your servant David will be established before you, 27  for you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have told your servant, ‘I will build you a dynastic house.’ That is why your servant has had the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28  Now, O sovereign Lord, you are the true God! May your words prove to be true! You have made this good promise to your servant! 29  Now be willing to bless your servant’s dynasty so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O sovereign Lord, have spoken. By your blessing may your servant’s dynasty be blessed on into the future!”

8  Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah from the Philistines. 2  He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. 3  David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish his authority over the Euphrates River. 4  David seized from him 1,700 charioteers and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 5  The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 6  David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 7  David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 8  From Tebah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.

9  When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10  he sent his son Joram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 11  King David dedicated these things to the Lord, along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations that he had subdued, 12  including Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amelek. This also included some of the plunder taken from King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.

13  David became famous when he returned from defeating the Arameans in the Valley of Salt, he defeated 18,000 in all. 14  He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 15  David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people.