Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him ..... Concerning a son, his successor, and the builder of the temple: thou, spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand , as it is this day; the temple being now finished by him, see 1 Kings 8:15 . read more
Who has kept with thy servant David - This is in reference to 2 Samuel 7:13 , where God promises to David that Solomon shall build a house for the name of the Lord. The temple being now completed, this promise was literally fulfilled. read more
The Prayer of Dedication. In how many and varied ways is Solomon a type of the Divine Solomon, the true Son of David Even in this respect they are alike—that each has "taught us how to pray" ( Luke 11:1 sqq.) For we may be sure that the Prayer of Dedication is for our instruction and imitation, otherwise it would hardly have been recorded, and recorded at such length, in Scripture. "After this manner therefore pray ye" ( Matthew 6:9 ). I. LAYMEN MAY OFFER PUBLIC PRAYER ... read more
Who hast kept with thy servant David my father [Solomon sees in this a special pledge of God's faithfulness and truth] that thou promisedst [Heb. spakest, same word as below. The alteration in the A.V. obscures the connexion]: thou spakest also [Heb. and thou spakest, i.e; "yea," or "for thou spakest"] with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thine hand [verse 15, and Hebrews 3:6 . The completion of the house, following the establishment of Solomon upon the throne, was to him... read more
1 Kings 8:23-24. Lord God of Israel, there is none like thee He here acknowledges the transcendent excellences of Jehovah; and again particularly extols his faithfulness to those who serve him sincerely. Who hast kept with thy servant David that thou promisedst That branch of thy promise concerning the building of this house by his son. read more
The dedication ceremony (8:22-9:9)Solomon then went up on to a specially made bronze platform, knelt down and prayed to God in the presence of the assembled people (2 Chronicles 6:12-13). He admitted that only God’s grace had allowed his father and himself to fulfil their wish of building God a symbolic dwelling place. He prayed that God’s grace would rest likewise upon his royal descendants after him (22-26). Solomon knew there was no necessity for the temple, because God dwells everywhere.... read more
5. The temple dedication ch. 8This chapter climaxes the writer’s emphasis on the greatness of Yahweh as Israel’s God. It is the most detailed account of a dedication service in the Bible. It is also one of the most theologically significant texts in 1 and 2 Kings. read more
Solomon’s prayer of dedication 8:22-53This great prayer centers on the Mosaic Covenant. That is its heart. It is the longest prayer in the Bible. Solomon introduced seven petitions with a backward look emphasizing God’s faithfulness (1 Kings 8:23-26). He concluded with a forward look stressing God’s mercy (1 Kings 8:52-53).Solomon’s posture of kneeling with open hands uplifted to heaven (1 Kings 8:52) symbolized his heart attitude, as posture often does in prayer. [Note: See Thomas L.... read more
The Dedication of the Temple. Solomon’s Prayer1. The chief of the fathers] i.e. heads of families. Out of the city] The Temple and Palace were built on the site of Araunah’s threshing floor (2 Chronicles 3:1), which would naturally be outside the city walls and on higher ground: cp. 1 Kings 9:24. 2. Ethanim] The later Tishri, corresponding to Sept.-Oct. The feast referred to was Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34).3. The priests] 2 Chronicles 5:4 has ’the Levites,’ certain of whom (the Kohathites)... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 8:22-53
Solomon having made a general surrender of this house to God, which God had signified his acceptance of by taking possession, next follows Solomon's prayer, in which he makes a more particular declaration of the uses of that surrender, with all humility and reverence, desiring that God would agree thereto. In short, it is his request that this temple may be deemed and taken, not only for a house of sacrifice (no mention is made of that in all this prayer, that was taken for granted), but a... read more