Reading: Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 2 Samuel 7:18

When his affections were stirred and the impression of the Lord’s mercy was fresh upon his mind we read, “Then went King David in.” What was it that created such a longing to be in the Lord’s presence? It was the Word of the Lord. Here is the solution to cold-hearted praying. David went into the presence of God when he received a Word for his own heart. It is good to come to prayer with the Word and to come to the Word with prayer.

We read further that he “sat before the LORD.” The word sat means “composed” or “continued.” David went in and composed himself before the Lord. He prayed as one who was before the Lord, not before men, or before a prayer list, or before the clock.

Notice also, it was when David was composed “before the Lord” that he said, “Who am I?” When the Lord is truly before us and we are conscious that we are in His presence, we sink into utter insignificance. This was also the experience of Isaiah (6:5), and of the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 15:10).

The question that David asked was a good question: “Who am I?” He was upon all accounts a mighty man, a man of honor, success, and usefulness, the darling of the country, and the dread of his enemies. Yet when he comes to speak of himself before God, he says, “Lord who am I?” Before the Lord, the greatest men are worms, the best of men are sinners, and those that are highest advanced have nothing but what they received.

But David goes further: “What is my house?” His house was of the royal tribe and descended from the prince of that tribe; he was allied to the best families of the country, and yet before God the merits of his family meant nothing. Humility is that grace which gives the Lord His proper place.

The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient. —Augustine