Next to the Psalms, the book of Chronicles is the best place to go in the Old Testament to learn how to pray.
There are many rich, powerful prayers recorded in Chronicles. Part of what gives them their richness is through their connection to the Word.
The Chronicler regularly connects the Word and Prayer. This makes sense, because the Word is the foundation for Prayer. All of our speech to God is dependent upon God's speech to us. If our Father in Heaven had never spoken to us, we would have nothing to say to him.
All of our speech to our Father is rooted in his speech to us.
You can see in the passage how this works for David. The Word addresses David's situation (wanting to build a house for the LORD), then puts David's situation in its ecclesiastical context (what the LORD is doing for his people, Israel), and concludes with an eschatological focus (that when the LORD builds up David's house, David's Son will build a house for the LORD).
In the same way David's prayer starts with his existential situation (who am I before You?), then situates himself in his ecclesiastical context (who is Israel in Your plan?), and concludes with an eschatological focus (therefore, do what You have promised!)
Now we need to have the humility to recognize that we are not David – we are not the LORD's anointed! But we have been united to David's greater son – we have been adopted as heirs together with the Christ!
And so therefore this passage instructs us as to how we should pray!
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