1 Kings 8:30
And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
This petition is part of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple he was employed to build, offered as he entered upon his work. When he prayed he felt his need of divine power and had knowledge of God, was then closely related to God, and had remarkable manifestations of divine power and precious views of the divine character. In the prayer he asked for Israel that their hearts would be wholly given and devoted to the Lord. The verse asks God to hearken to the supplication of His servant and His people Israel when they pray toward this place, to hear in heaven His dwelling place, and when He hears to forgive, with the temple as the appointed place toward which the people direct their prayers and depend on God, but with God hearing from heaven.
God is not confined to the temple as heathen gods are confined to their temples, for heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him. Yet He puts His name at the house built for Him and keeps His eyes open toward it night and day. He meets His people there by His Spirit when they assemble in that house for worship. He also meets them by His Spirit when they gather for worship elsewhere, visits them in their homes and wherever they may be, and gives special revelations of His goodness, so His children may worship Him in every place, and sincere worshipers who meet to worship Him receive His blessing.
Solomon's prayer sets the pattern for sacredness in every house dedicated to God as a place where God meets with His people. All who enter must observe reverence and leave behind angry feelings toward others, for anger in the hearts of worshipers shuts the Spirit of God away from them. The light Solomon had did not save him, for he afterward forsook the very temple to worship idols. His later alliances with pagan nations, support of idol worship, and building of high places for his pagan wives stood in direct contrast to his prayer, showing that even great wisdom and a prayerful beginning do not preserve a person who turns from obedience to God.