In verses 4 through 17 we have God's response to David through Nathan. Verse 4 tells us in that night the word of Jehovah came to Nathan.
God told David that since the time He brought Israel up out of Egypt, He had never asked anyone to build Him a house that He might dwell in it. Rather, He went about in a tent and in a tabernacle (vv. 5-7).
God charged Nathan to tell David that He took him from the pasture, from following the sheep, that he might be ruler over His people Israel (v. 8). Also, God had been with David in every place and had cut off all his enemies (v. 9a). This refers to the presence of God. David was prosperous because he had the presence of God. This is a lesson for us today. Whenever we prepare ourselves to speak God's word, we must be assured that we have the presence of God. If we do not have this assurance, we need to pray until we have the deep sense of God's presence with us.
God promised David that He would make a great name for him, "like the name of the great ones who are on the earth" (v. 9b).
God said that He would appoint a place for His people Israel and plant them, that they might dwell in their own place without disturbances and without being ill-treated by the sons of wickedness (v. 10). David's heart was to get a place for God to dwell in, but God's heart is to get a place for His people to be settled and even planted. For this to take place, however, God's elect people need to cooperate with Him.
God told David that He would give him rest from all his enemies (v. 11a). Here God seemed to be saying, "David, you have a heart for Me. My heart is for you, and I want you to have rest from all the enemies that are around you."