22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven . 23 He said , "O Lord , the God of Israel , there is no God like You in heaven above e or on earth beneath e , keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart , 24 who have kept with Your servant , my father David , that which You have promised him; indeed, You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand as it is this day . 25 "Now therefore, O Lord , the God of Israel , keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying , ' You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel , if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have walked .' 26 "Now therefore, O God of Israel , let Your word , I pray , be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant , my father David . 27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth ? Behold , heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much e less this house which I have built ! 28 "Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication , O Lord my God , to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today ; 29 that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day , toward the place of which You have said , 'My name shall be there ,' to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place . 30 " Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel , when they pray toward this place ; hear in heaven Your dwelling place ; hear and forgive . 31 " If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath , and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house , 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants , condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness . 33 " When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy , because they have sinned against You, if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and make supplication to You in this house , 34 then hear in heaven , and forgive the sin of Your people Israel , and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers . 35 " When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain , because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel , indeed , teach them the good way in which they should walk . And send rain on Your land , which You have given Your people for an inheritance . 37 " If there is famine in the land , if there is pestilence , if there is blight or mildew , locust or grasshopper , if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities , whatever plague , whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever e prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel , each knowing the affliction of his own heart , and spreading his hands toward this house ; 39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place , and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways , whose heart You know , for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men , 40 that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You have given to our fathers . 41 "Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel , when he comes from a far country for Your name's sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand , and of Your outstretched arm ); when he comes and prays toward this house , 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place , and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name , to fear You, as do Your people Israel , and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name . 44 "When Your people go out to battle against their enemy , by whatever way You shall send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name , 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication , and maintain their cause . 46 "When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin ) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy , so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy , far off or near ; 47 if they take thought in the land where e they have been taken captive , and repent and make supplication to You in the land of those who have taken them captive , saying , ' We have sinned and have committed iniquity , we have acted wickedly '; 48 if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive , and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers , the city which You have chosen , and the house which I have built for Your name ; 49 then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Your dwelling place , and maintain their cause , 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive , that they may have compassion on them 51 ( for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought forth from Egypt , from the midst of the iron furnace ), 52 that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and to the supplication of Your people Israel , to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 "For You have separated them from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance , as You spoke through Moses Your servant , when You brought our fathers forth from Egypt , O Lord GOD ."
54 When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to the Lord , he arose from before the altar of the Lord , from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward heaven . 55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice , saying : 56 "Blessed be the Lord , who has given rest to His people Israel , according to all that He promised ; not one word has failed of all His good promise , which He promised through Moses His servant . 57 "May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers ; may He not leave us or forsake us, 58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances , which He commanded our fathers . 59 "And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the Lord , be near to the Lord our God day and night , that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel , as each day requires , 60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God ; there is no one else . 61 " Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord our God , to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments , as at this day ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 8:22-61
Commentary on 1 Kings 8:22-53
(Read 1 Kings 8:22-53)
In this excellent prayer, Solomon does as we should do in every prayer; he gives glory to God. Fresh experiences of the truth of God's promises call for larger praises. He sues for grace and favour from God. The experiences we have of God's performing his promises, should encourage us to depend upon them, and to plead them with him; and those who expect further mercies, must be thankful for former mercies. God's promises must be the guide of our desires, and the ground of our hopes and expectations in prayer. The sacrifices, the incense, and the whole service of the temple, were all typical of the Redeemer's offices, oblation, and intercession. The temple, therefore, was continually to be remembered. Under one word, "forgive," Solomon expressed all that he could ask in behalf of his people. For, as all misery springs from sin, forgiveness of sin prepares the way for the removal of every evil, and the receiving of every good. Without it, no deliverance can prove a blessing. In addition to the teaching of the word of God, Solomon entreated the Lord himself to teach the people to profit by all, even by their chastisements. They shall know every man the plague of his own heart, what it is that pains him; and shall spread their hands in prayer toward this house; whether the trouble be of body or mind, they shall represent it before God. Inward burdens seem especially meant. Sin is the plague of our own hearts; our in-dwelling corruptions are our spiritual diseases: every true Israelite endeavours to know these, that he may mortify them, and watch against the risings of them. These drive him to his knees; lamenting these, he spreads forth his hands in prayer. After many particulars, Solomon concludes with the general request, that God would hearken to his praying people. No place, now, under the gospel, can add to the prayers made in or towards it. The substance is Christ; whatever we ask in his name, it shall be given us. In this manner the Israel of God is established and sanctified, the backslider is recovered and healed. In this manner the stranger is brought nigh, the mourner is comforted, the name of God is glorified. Sin is the cause of all our troubles; repentance and forgiveness lead to all human happiness.
Commentary on 1 Kings 8:54-61
(Read 1 Kings 8:54-61)
Never was a congregation dismissed with what was more likely to affect them, and to abide with them. What Solomon asks for in this prayer, is still granted in the intercession of Christ, of which his supplication was a type. We shall receive grace sufficient, suitable, and seasonable, in every time of need. No human heart is of itself willing to obey the gospel call to repentance, faith, and newness of life, walking in all the commandments of the Lord, yet Solomon exhorts the people to be perfect. This is the scriptural method, it is our duty to obey the command of the law and the call of the gospel, seeing we have broken the law. When our hearts are inclined thereto, feeling our sinfulness and weakness, we pray for Divine assistance; thus are we made able to serve God through Jesus Christ.