1 Kings 8:37, commentary and pictures

1 Kings 8:37 is part of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple he was employed to build. It belongs to his most remarkable prayer at the dedication of the temple of God, offered as he entered upon his work. That temple was a large and grand sanctuary built by many people as a place to meet and worship God, which the Lord God of heaven honored because it was built for Him. The prayer was offered after remarkable manifestations of divine power, when Solomon felt the need for divine power.

The verse lists troubles that may come upon Israel in the land: famine, pestilence, damage to crops by blasting and mildew, locusts and caterpillars, siege by enemies in the land of their cities, and every kind of plague and sickness. In such distress, each person or the whole people may pray toward the temple, acknowledge his own suffering and plague of heart, and spread out his hands. Then God hears from heaven His dwelling place, forgives, and deals with each person according to his ways because He knows every human heart. He does this so that the people will fear Him and walk in His ways all their lives in the land given to their fathers.

The prayer presents God as not confined to a temple, showing that Israel's dependence was in God Himself. He meets His people by His Spirit when they gather for worship and visits them wherever they are, and those who worshiped Him there sincerely had His blessing. In this way the prayer gives precious views of the divine character. It shows Solomon at that time closely related to God, honoring Him and seeking that the hearts of the people would be undividedly and fully given to the Lord. This earlier devotion stands in contrast to his later course, when the just, compassionate and God-fearing ruler became tyrannical and oppressive, forsook the very temple to worship idols and became a seducer of the people away from God, showing that this light did not save him.