1 Kings 8:38
What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
1 Kings 8:38 belongs to Solomon's remarkable prayer at the dedication of the temple. When he offered it he knew God, was closely related to Him, and felt his need for divine power. The verse reflects Israel's dependence on the God of Israel, for the people who built the temple were many and the house they built was large and grand, and the Lord God of heaven honored them because they had built Him a sanctuary where they could meet to worship Him, and those who worshiped Him there sincerely received His blessing.
In that prayer Solomon asked that the people's hearts would be given to the Lord without division. In times of calamity the verse calls each person to recognize the plague of his own inward heart and to make his prayer and supplication to God with hands spread toward the temple. God hears such prayer from heaven, knows each heart, forgives, and deals with each person according to his ways, so that people will fear Him and walk in His ways.
The prayer teaches that God is not confined to a temple, for when His people gather in a house dedicated to worship He meets them by His Spirit, and He also visits and encourages them in their homes and wherever they are, so His children can worship Him in every place. Solomon later departed from God and became a worshiper of idols through his pagan wives and separation from obedience, which stood in direct contrast to this prayer.