1 Kings 8:21-40

²¹I have provided a place there for the Ark, which contains the agreement of the Lord that he made with our forefathers when he led them out of the land of Egypt.”

²²Then Solomon stood in front of the altar of the Lord before the whole assembly of Israel and held out his hands toward heaven.

²³He said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep you agreement of trustworthy love with your servants, those who are totally committed to following you.

²⁴You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You yourself promised, and by your own power you have fulfilled it today.

²⁵So now, Lord, God of Israel, please also keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said: ‘You will never fail to have a descendant sit in my presence on the throne of Israel, as long as they make sure to follow me as you have done.’

²⁶Now, God of Israel, please keep the promise you made to our servant, my father David.

²⁷But will God really live here on earth? The heavens, even highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this Temple I have built!

²⁸Please hear the prayer of your servant and his request, Lord my God. Please hear the appeals and the prayers that your servant is presenting before you today.

²⁹May you watch over this Temple day and night, caring for the place where you said you would be honored. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place,

³⁰and may you hear the request of your servant and your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Please hear from heaven where you live. May you hear and forgive.

³¹When someone sins against another and is required to take an oath before your altar in this Temple,

³²listen from heaven—act and judge your servants. Pay back the guilty; vindicate and reward those who do right.

³³When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they come back in repentance to you, praying for forgiveness in this Temple,

³⁴then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their forefathers.

³⁵If the skies are closed shut and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and if they come back in repentance to you, turning away from their sin because you have punished them,

³⁶then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the good way so that they can walk on it, and send rain on the earth that you have given to your people as their possession.

³⁷If there is famine in the land, or disease, or blight or mildew on the crops, or if there are locusts or caterpillars, or if an enemy comes to lay siege to the towns in the land—it can be whatever kind of plague or whatever kind of disease—

³⁸then whatever kind of prayer or whatever kind of appeal is made by anyone or all your people Israel, in fact anyone who, knowing their problems and pains, prays toward this Temple,

³⁹then hear from heaven, the place where you live, and forgive. Give according to the way they live their lives, for you know what people are really like inside, and you alone know the true character of people.

⁴⁰Then they will respect you and follow your ways all the time they live in the land you gave to our forefathers.