2 Samuel 7:18

Then went king David in, and sat before theLord] In the tent where the Ark, the symbol of God's presence, was. As sitting does not seem to have been a customary posture for prayer, some commentators render tarriedinstead of sat. Others suppose that David sat to meditate, and afterwards stood up to pray.

Whoam I&c. Cp. Jacob's language in Genesis 32:10.

O Lord God Whenever God is thus printed in small capitals, it represents the sacred name Jehovah. From very ancient times the Jewish practice in reading the Scriptures has been to substitute in place of Jehovah Adônai, which means my Lord, or Lord; or if the title Adônai is joined with Jehovah, as here, Elôhîm, which means God. The E. V. follows the Jewish practice in giving Lord and God, and whenever they represent the name Jehovah indicates the fact by the use of capitals. "Lord God," which represents "my Lord Jehovah," must therefore be distinguished from "Lord God" (2 Samuel 7:25), which represents "Jehovah Elohim," i.e. "Jehovah God." See Additional Note II. on 1 Samuel, p. 236.

The appropriateness of this address "my Lord Jehovah" in David's thanksgiving must be carefully noted. It is not merely an acknowledgment of the Divine sovereignty in general, but expresses the consciousness of belonging specially to God, and standing under His immediate guidance and protection. See Oehler's Theology of the Old Testament, I. 148. It is the correlative of the title "my servant" with which God distinguishes David. It calls to mind St Paul's words "the God whose I am, whom also I serve" (Acts 27:23). Compare Abram's use of it in Genesis 15:2; Genesis 15:8; and Moses" in Deuteronomy 3:24; Deuteronomy 9:26. When he turns to praise God for his dealings with Israel in general, David uses the ordinary title Jehovah Elôhîm(2 Samuel 7:22), and retains it in 2 Samuel 7:25 at the beginning of his petition, as if to identify the covenant God of Israel with the God to whom he makes his prayer: but in 2 Samuel 7:28 he returns to the more familiar address of confident trust "my Lord Jehovah."