“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant in steadfast love with your servants who walk before you with all their heart—you who have kept for your servant, my father David, what you promised to him. Indeed, you promised with your mouth and this day have fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant, my father David, that which you promised him, saying, ’There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children keep to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ Therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant David.

”But will God indeed reside with mortals on earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! Regard your servant’s prayer and his plea, O LORD my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you. May your eyes be open day and night toward this house, the place where you promised to set your name, and may you heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. And hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; may you hear from heaven your dwelling place; hear and forgive.

Background

The magnificent Temple in Jerusalem was completed, and the dedication ceremony had begun. After the opening prayer, Solomon mounts a bronze platform, 7.5 feet (2.29 meters) square by 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) high. He kneels before all the people, spreads his hands, and offers this prayer.

The prayer is almost the same as the parallel in 1 Kings 8 (the telling of the same story by a different author) but focuses more on the theme of prayer. For example, the prayer itself is longer than the story of the building of the Temple!

The prayer is one of praise followed by petition. Much of what Solomon says about God is to show that there is nothing like Him in the universe. He then asks that God help His people remain obedient. He also emphasizes that the existence of the Temple means that God dwells on earth with His people. Solomon likens it to having eyes and ears on earth—God sees people praying and hears their prayers, He also praises God for fulfilling the promise he made to David: that his son would build the Temple.

Meaning

This prayer is meaningful to our study because the Chronicler believes prayer is so important. First, the prayer emphasizes that the Temple is a place of prayer. That doesn’t mean that people can’t pray elsewhere, of course; rather, the Temple is a special place where the people of God pray.

Subscribe to continue reading

Become a paid subscriber to get access to the rest of this post and other exclusive content.