Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord your God ,.... Sincere in their love to him, united in their worship of him, and constant in their obedience to him: to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day : as they did that day, neither king nor people having as yet fallen into idolatry, but showing by their then present appearance a zeal for God, his house, and worship. read more
Let your heart therefore be perfect - Be sincere in your faith, be irreproachable in your conduct. read more
Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God [An instructive commentary on these words is found in 1 Kings 11:4 , where it is said of this Solomon, " His heart was not perfect," etc.—same words. Similarly, ib . 1 Kings 11:3 , 1 Kings 11:9 are a comment on the prayer of verse 58. Having preached to others, he himself became a castaway], to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, us at this day [That day the nation proved its piety by the dedication of... read more
A Royal Benediction. The prayer of Solomon is followed by a benediction. "He stood and blessed all the congregation," etc. ( 1 Kings 8:54 , 1 Kings 8:55 ). But though he assumed for the time the priestly function, his utterance was not cast into the usual form of priestly benediction. It was rather an ascription of praise to the God who had fulfilled His promises and given rest to His people, and an exhortation to them that they on their part should follow that path of life in which... read more
As at this day - i. e. “as ye are now doing, in coming with pious intentions to this festival.” read more
1 Kings 8:61. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord your God Be sincere and serious in your purposes of new obedience. Let it be universal, without dividing; upright, without dissembling; and constant, without declining. Thus having spoken to God for them, he here speaks from God to them; and those only would be the better for his prayers, that were made better by his preaching. 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
perfect with = loyal: i.e. not divided between Jehovah and other gods; hence wholly devoted to. Not heeded by Solomon himself. Compare 1Ki 9:6 ; 1 Kings 11:4 . 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
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 8:54-61
Solomon, after his sermon in Ecclesiastes, gives us the conclusion of the whole matter; so he does here, after this long prayer; it is called his blessing the people, 1 Kgs. 8:55. He pronounced it standing, that he might be the better heard, and because he blessed as one having authority. Never were words more fitly spoken, nor more pertinently. Never was congregation dismissed with that which was more likely to affect them and abide with them. I. He gives God the glory of the great and kind... read more