8 "So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. 9 I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I'm making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth. 10 And I'm going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they'll have their own home and not be knocked around any more. Nor will evil men afflict you as they always have, 11 even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. Finally, I'm going to give you peace from all your enemies. 12 When your life is complete and you're buried with your ancestors, then I'll raise up your child, your own flesh and blood, to succeed you, and I'll firmly establish his rule. 13 He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom's rule permanently. 14 I'll be a father to him, and he'll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I'll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. 15 But I'll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove. 16 Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I'm keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 7:8-16
Commentary on 2 Samuel 7:4-17
(Read 2 Samuel 7:4-17)
Blessings are promised to the family and posterity of David. These promises relate to Solomon, David's immediate successor, and the royal line of Judah. But they also relate to Christ, who is often called David and the Son of David. To him God gave all power in heaven and earth, with authority to execute judgment. He was to build the gospel temple, a house for God's name; the spiritual temple of true believers, to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. The establishing of his house, his throne, and his kingdom for ever, can be applied to no other than to Christ and his kingdom: David's house and kingdom long since came to an end. The committing iniquity cannot be applied to the Messiah himself, but to his spiritual seed; true believers have infirmities, for which they must expect to be corrected, though they are not cast off.