“THANKS AND PRAISE TO GOD”
1-2 SAMUEL

I. Introduction
Do you sometimes have trouble praying? When you do pray, do you feel like you’re just going through the motions, praying for the same things day after day, week after week, and year after year with no apparent results? Does it often seem to you that your prayers are flat, repetitive, formulaic, and even lifeless? Could it be that your prayers are flat, repetitive, formulaic, and lifeless?

We know that our God is in the business of hearing and responding to the prayers of His children, don’t we? Sometimes His response is, “Yes.” Sometimes His response is, “No.” And sometimes His response is, “Not now,” or “Wait.” Whatever His answer is, God hears His children and God responds.

There’s something else about prayer that Bible-believing Christians know, but too often seem to forget. We can go to God anytime with anything and expect a response if, and I emphasize the “if,” if we go to Him on His terms. It is right there where most of the human race fails in prayer. Sadly, many Christians fail there as well. Too often we seem to think we can go to God on our terms. If you sometimes feel like your prayers are “bouncing off the ceiling,” maybe they are! Maybe you’re trying to approach God on your terms.

What are His terms? First, you need to be righteous in His sight. That means you need to be a believer, a Christian.
Proverbs 15:29
29 The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.

Who are the righteous? It isn’t complicated at all. The righteous are those whom God has saved. No one else is righteous in God’s sight. God hears the prayers of the righteous and His holiness requires Him to respond to their prayers. The operative word in Proverbs 15:29 is “hears.” It is translated from the Hebrew word “shâwma.” (shaw-mah´) which means giving undivided listening attention. God’s hearing of the righteous is directly related to the obedience of the righteous. With regard to the prayers of the unrighteous, God is certainly aware of them. But His holiness does not require that He respond to them.
John 9:31
31 “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him.”

Again, the operative word is “hear.” The Greek is “akŏuō.” (ak-koo´-o) It does not refer to the physical sense of hearing. But, just like the Hebrew “shâwma,” it carries with it the idea of giving an audience to someone. It means hearing effectually. It’s more than just hearing; it’s listening. It also has to do with the obedience of those who fear God and do His will.
So, what are God’s terms for coming to Him in prayer and receiving a response?
1. You must be a Christian.
2. You must be an obedient Christian, intent on doing God’s will.
3. You must go to God through Jesus Christ.

*John 14:6, 12-14
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.
13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

When Jesus says we are to pray “in His name,” what does He mean? Is He saying that we should always be sure to say, “…in Jesus’ name” right before we say, “Amen?” That’s all fine, but it means far more than that.
• First, praying in Jesus’ name means that you are interested in the glory of God. The Westminster Confession gets it right when it asks, “What is the chief end (or purpose) of man?” and answers, “A man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
~ Do you pray with the glory of God uppermost in your mind and heart?

• Second, and this is closely related to the first, praying in Jesus’ name means that you pray for what He wants to accomplish, not what you want to accomplish. In other words, are you more interested in His purposes than in your own?
~ Do you pray for God’s will to be done or do you pray for your will to be done?

• Third, praying in Jesus’ name means that you are going before God in the merits of His Son, not ours. We must never forget that if Christ’s merit was not applied to us, we would have no merit at all, no right whatsoever to enter into God’s presence. Jesus said, “I am the way…no one comes to the Father, but through Me (John 14:6).”
~ Do you pray understanding that you bring nothing to the table but God’s Son?

It’s only when we’re intimately connected to Jesus that He adjusts our desires so that finally, what we want for ourselves is the same thing He wants for us. (Psalm 37:4) It’s then that you pray for the right things. It’s then that your prayers stop “bouncing off the ceiling.” And it’s only then that John 14:14 applies. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

Jesus confirmed this truth for the church a few chapters later.
*John 16:23-24 (Jesus is referring to the birth of the church at Pentecost.)
23 “And in that day you will ask Me no question. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name.
24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.”
So if prayer is to be effective, it must be prayer in Jesus’ name. Prayer in Jesus’ name is the only prayer that guarantees a response from God. It requires that we come to Him through our Lord Jesus Christ, and that we are living in obedience to Him. It all comes down to that. Those are God’s requirements. And when they are met, your prayers will be rich in praise and adoration for God. Your confession and your repentance will be sincere and filled with humility. Your thanksgiving will be deep and heartfelt. And your requests and desires will become aligned with His. (Psalm 37:4)

For what can you thank God with deep and heartfelt thanks? You can start right here.
“Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole,
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation so rich and free.”
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II. Text
How many times have you said, “Thank you, Lord” or just, “Praise God”? We’ve uttered those words countless times, if not audibly, then certainly in our spirits. “Thank you, Lord” and “Praise God!” fit well together, don’t they? If you’re anything like me, there are times, especially after God has done something wonderful in your life, or when you’ve been parti-cularly moved by something you’ve read or seen or heard, that those words just don’t seem to be quite enough.

They’re good words, to be sure. But there are times when “Thank you, Lord” and “Praise God!” don’t seem adequate to convey the depth of your emotion or gratitude toward God. Your heart may be overflowing, but your words just seem so inadequate. You’ll find the right words, words that truly please Him in the Bible. When you don’t have the right words, He does.
Romans 8:26b
26b …we do not know how to pray as we should, but the (Holy) Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

What about when you need to give thanks? We need the Holy Spirit’s help with that consi-der Hannah. In 1 Samuel 1 we read Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving to her sovereign Lord.

Elkanah had two wives. Peninnah had given him children but Hannah had not. God, to use the words of 1 Samuel 1:6, “…had closed her womb.” Peninnah was proud and continually ridiculed Hannah and taunted her for her inability to give Elkanah a son. Hannah was hurt, saddened, and yes, she was angry. So she humbly took her case to the Lord.
*1 Samuel 1:10-11 (She prayed in the presence of Eli the High Priest.)
10 And she, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
11 And she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget your maid-servant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD
all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”

Hannah was vowing that she would dedicate her child to God’s service. This dedication to God was known as a Nazirite vow. Uncut hair and abstinence from alcohol were just two of the outward signs that a person was a Nazirite. (Samson and John the Baptist were Nazirites.)
*1 Samuel 1:17-18, 20
17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”
18 And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So (Hannah) went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
20 And it came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”

Hannah remembered the vow she made to God. More than remembering it, she would keep it. When Samuel was weaned she took the boy to Eli the High Priest.
*1 Samuel 1:26-28
26 And (Hannah) said, “Oh, my lord (sir)! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD.
27 “For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him.
28 “So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedi-cated to the LORD.”

Have you dedicated your children to God? I am not speaking of dedicating them to a Nazi-rite vow. What I am speaking about is Christian parents praying for their children’s well-being, spiritual safety, and ultimately, their salvation. You can pray for those things even before they are born. And why not? Before they’re born you don’t know them, but God does. Remember what He told Jeremiah?
Jeremiah 1:5a
5a “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.”

When it comes to giving our children over to God’s care, there’s never a bad time to do so. Let me encourage you not to wait. It doesn’t matter if your children (or grandchildren) are already parents themselves or if they’re as yet unborn. Pray for their salvation. Pray that they’ll be set apart from this world. Pray that they’ll always worship the God of the Bible.

Hannah’s prayer for a son was in accordance with God’s perfect will for her, and so God answered it. Hannah responded by keeping her promise. She worshipped God with one of the great prayers of thanksgiving in all of Scripture.
*1 Samuel 2:1-2
1 Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the LORD, my horn (strength) is exalted in the LORD, my mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 “There is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.”

In these two verses Hannah acknowledges that her salvation is really His salvation. It comes from Him and it has been given to her, and she knows it very well. So she speaks of God’s power, His holiness, His righteousness, and His sovereignty.

This is the way you and I should approach God – always acknowledging Him for who and what He is. Doing so just naturally brings our hearts and minds into a position of humility before Him. Ask yourself – how can you recognize God for who He is and not thank Him for all He has done for you? Hannah knows who He is!

Because she humbly went before God, crying out for His help and mercy, He exalted her. Then she sounds a warning to all who would be prideful or arrogant before God.
*1 Samuel 2:3-8c (7 contrasts of the righteous and unrighteous)
3 “Boast no more so very proudly, do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and with Him actions are weighed.
4 “The bows of the mighty are shattered, but the feeble gird on strength.(1)
5 “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, but those were hungry cease to hunger.(2) Even the barren gives birth to seven, but she who has many children languishes.(3)
6 “The LORD kills and makes alive;(4) He brings down to Sheol and raises up.(5)
7 “The LORD makes poor and rich;(6) He brings low, He also exalts.(7)
8c “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with nobles, and inherit a seat of honor…”

In vv. 4-7 Hannah simply contrasts people who are strong and weak, full and hungry, barren and fertile, poor and rich, sick and well, dead and alive, and humble and exalted. What is Hannah’s point in the seven contrasts in these verses?

She is acknowledging the fact that the Sovereign God of the universe ultimately blesses some and curses others. He does this based solely on His own good pleasure. I believe every committed Christian knows this to be true, even though we often struggle to get our arms around the “why” of it. Like the doctrines of election and predestination, a complete intellectual understanding of these things is simply not available to the finite human mind.

God is God, and we are not! Accepting that is the best medicine for curing the disease of human pride. Pride and arrogance are both foolish and futile in God’s sight. God has a way of humbling the proud and exalting the humble. Hannah is making that point very clear.
*1 Samuel 2:8d-9b
8d “For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and He set the world on them.
9b “He keeps the feet of His godly ones, but the wicked ones are silenced in darkness…”

In these verses Hannah is asking a rhetorical question. She’s saying, “God has established and maintained the earth and the whole of creation.
Is it likely that He would have any difficulty establishing and maintaining His own child-ren?” The answer is obvious. However, for those who are not His children, their end is the darkness of the grave and an eternity away from the presence of the light of God.
*1 Samuel 2:9c-10
9c “…for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 “Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; against them He will thunder in the heavens, the LORD will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn (strength) of His anointed.”

The bottom line is that God will ultimately rule over every nation and all people. In v. 10 a prophetic statement about Jesus Christ and His Second Coming closes out Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving, but at first glance it seems that the only pure thanks is given all the way back in v. 1. However, that misses the point. Hannah is thanking God for what He has done for her and for her new son, Samuel, but there’s more, much more. She is thanking God for who He is, for what He is, for what He has done, and what He will do?

I hope the lesson is clear. Naturally we are to be thankful for what God does for us and what He gives us, but real thanks, real praise comes when we begin see God as He is. To love Him, to fear Him, to be in awe of Him, and to obey Him – that’s a real mark of thanksgiving.

Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving is filled with praise. Now look at David’s prayer of praise which is filled with thanksgiving. (go to 2 Samuel 7) What led David to offer up his prayer?

After God had made him king, David established the government in Jerusalem. So, to honor God, David thought it would be a good idea to build a temple for the Ark of the Covenant. So he went to the Prophet Nathan and told him of his plans. But there was a problem. God never intended for David to build a temple for the ark. But in David’s mind this would be an act of worship. How could God not accept it and bless it?
*2 Samuel 7:4-8 (after David told Nathan of his plans)
4 But it came about in the same night that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,
5 “Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Are you the one who should build me a house to dwell in?
6 “For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle.
7 “Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, (in) which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’
8 “Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should
be a ruler over My people Israel.”

There’s a powerful lesson for all of us here that David is about to learn. In order for our wor-ship to be truly God-honoring, it has to be done God’s way. It has to be directed by Him. Doing something for God you think is “nice” may not be remotely close to what He wants you to do. God didn’t call David to build the temple. God called David to rule His people.

What has God called you to do? Could it be that you’re doing or chasing after something you want to do because you think it pleases God? I’ve known people who have charged off to the mission field because they wanted to, not because God called them. They didn’t last long. I’ve also seen people go into the ministry or into youth work because they thought it “was the thing to do.” But for them, it wasn’t.

Listen, one of the greatest tasks in your life is to find out what God wants you to do. You could be surprised. It might be “bigger” than anything you could imagine. It turned out that God had something bigger for David. So through Nathan, God told David…
*2 Samuel 7:12-13, 16
12 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you (Solomon), who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

16 “And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”

When David realized what God was going to do, he found himself in stunned awe. Praise just poured out of him. This is how he responded.
*2 Samuel 7:18-21
18 Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, “Who am I, O LORD GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
19 “And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O LORD GOD, for You have spo-ken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future.
And this is the custom of man, O LORD GOD. (meaning, this is not how You normally deal with men.)
20 “And again what more can (I) say to You? For You know Your servant, O LORD GOD!
21 “For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know.”

David’s asks God, “Who am I…that You have brought me this far?” Have you ever won-dered, “Why me, Lord? Why have you chosen me? I am just a sinner like everyone else.” David begins in genuine humility. He is overwhelmed because he knows God’s promise is certain. He recognizes the unconditional nature of God’s covenant with him.
*2 Samuel 7:22-24
22 “For this reason You are great, O LORD GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 “And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a great name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and (from) their gods?
24 “For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own peo-ple forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.”

These three verses (22-24) comprise one of many OT passages that describes and extols the uniqueness of God. In the opening verses of Hannah’s prayer, she said, “There is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.”

In 2 Samuel 7:23-24 it is clear that God has made Israel His chosen nation. He chose it to be the channel for the Savior of the world, and David’s has been chosen as the family through which the Messiah, the Christ would come. Why does the world hate Israel and the Jews? It hates them for the same reason it hates us. Israel is God’s chosen nation. The church is God’s chosen people. We are chosen of God. Remember what Jesus said?
John 15:18-19
18 “If the world hates you, you know it has hated Me before it hated you.
19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

There are some of you here who need to take comfort in that!
*2 Samuel 7:25-29
25 “Now therefore, O LORD GOD, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken,
26 that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You.
27 “For You, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.
28 “And now, O LORD GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.
29 “Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O LORD GOD, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”
In this last section of David’s prayer of praise he accepts God at His word. Although he is awed by the promise that God has made to him, he readily embraces it. That is another good lesson for us.

Among countless other things, God has promised us eternal life, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, His working in us, ultimate victory over sin and death, all-sufficient grace, the meet-ing of our earthly temporal needs, and finally standing in His very presence.

Today is Communion Sunday. This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. Our hearts should be overflowing with love, gratitude, humility, and praise for the One who gave Him-self for us.
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III. Conclusion
In 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Hannah thanks God for who He is and what He does. Her thanks is filled with praise. In 2 Samuel 7:18-29 David praises God for who He is and what He does. His praise is filled the thanks. These two saints of God were overwhelmed by His majesty, His holiness, His sovereignty, His glory, and His unconditional and unchangeable promises. They said, “Thank you, Lord,” and “Praise God!” Now it is our turn. Every one of God’s promises to us, His children, is symbolized in the elements on the table before us.

Come to Him now, confess your sins, thank Him and praise Him for forgiving your sins. Today we remember Jesus and His sacrifice for us, and we give “Thanks and Praise to God” who saved us. Please join me at the table…