Please read this passage before reading this homily.
In the first part of the second book of Samuel, David set about solidifying his kingship. He established Jerusalem as his capital. He profited by the deaths of all the top members of Saul’s family and his rejection of Saul’s daughter whom he had married. He set about bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, thus providing it a permanent home, whereas in the beginning it was God’s intention to wander with the tribes.
God’s response to the idea of building a temple for God in Jerusalem was to forbid David from building, while assigning the task to David’s Son, Solomon. On the other hand, God promised to establish David’s house permanently. The Hebrew word for house, bayit, can also mean dynasty, family tree, temple. While David wanted to build a bayit for God, God wanted to build David a bayit a house or dynasty that would last forever. The word bayit occurs fifteen times in this chapter.
God’s official name, usually written without vowels YHWH, essentially means a God of surprises, a God whom no one can control, a God who alone has the fulness of existence. For ease of speaking the Divine name, we use the English word Lord instead of YHWH.
While David may have been trying to control God by moving the Arc to Jerusalem, God was declaring his intention to make David’s house secure forever. God would, in effect, control David.
No matter how hard we try to control God, we cannot. No matter how hard we try to avoid God’s plans for us, God has no problem arranging good things for us. God looks upon our lowliness and raised up to being able to do God’s plans.