How to Praise God while also asking for something (1 Kings 8.23–26)
He said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day 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 look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant, my father David.”
Background
After Solomon’s blessing upon God, he summarizes how they have all arrived at this event—the Dedication of the Temple. His father, David, wanted to build a temple for God. Though this pleased God, He would not allow it—yet. David had other work to do to make Israel safe and strong. God placed the well-being and viability of his people above his own honor! But He promised that David’s son would build a temple.
That day came, the Temple was built, and it was time to dedicate it. Solomon took up a place before the altar that stood outside the Temple, raised his hands, and began a lengthy prayer of dedication. Though most of the prayer focused on the Temple and its purpose, Solomon begins with a praise of God’s faithfulness, and a petition that God keep that faithfulness.
Meaning
Outside the Psalms, this prayer is one of the longer ones in the Bible, and it contains several types of prayer: praise, petition, and confession. The latter two are of a different character than the usual petitions and confessions we have (and will) study.
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