We have here Solomon appearing in greater glory on his knees before the altar, than when feared on his ivory throne, and crowned with gold. Having confessed the people with his benediction, he lifts up his heart and hands to God in prayer, that this houle, so gloriously opened, might be for ever diffusing with God's pretence, grace, and merciful regard to those who there should pour out their supplications. 1. Solomon himself began the fervor, and shewed the people the way to the throne of grace, where, on their behalf, he is intercessor for the feasting a blessed intercourse between God and them. He did not think himself too great to how before his Lord, nor was at a loss how to address him; but before the altar, as depending on the blood shed there for the success of his petitions, he spread abroad his hands to heaven, and bent the supplant knee. Note, (1.) Let great men imitate to noble a pattern, nor think it unbecoming them to pray with their housholds; and if their hearts be right as Solomon's with God, though they possess not his wisdom or gifts, they shall not want that spirit of prayer and supplication which will help their infirmities, and reach them how and what to pray for as they ought. (2.) Every prayer which would find acceptance with God, must be preferred through the blood and intercession of Jesus. (3.) Everyone in prayer, whether in word or gesture, may provoke the censure of the careless or the lukewarm; but God will not deplete the hands lifted up to heaven. 2. The prayer of Solomon: [1.] He opens, with ascribing to God the glory due unto his name, acknowledges his transcendent greatness, and his faithfulness in his promises to those who walk before him in simplicity and truth. Note, (1.) To praise God for such mercies, is not only the tribute we owe him, but a comfortable encouragement to our own faith. (2.) They who desire to serve God from their hearts, will find his ears ever open to their prayers. [2.] He supplicates for himself and people the fulfilment of God's promises, with admiration and astonishment at the considerations of God, who, though the heaven, and the heaven of heaven cannot contain him, vouchsafes to visit this inful earth, and to dwell with worms of the dust, v. 27, he prays, that according to the promise made to David, his feet might never fail, or his throne be removed; that God would ever regard this temple, where he had so gloriously manifested his pretence; and that his prayers, and the prayers of the people there pretenced unto him, or offered with their faces turned thitherward, might ever meet an answer of peace. Note, (1.) The word of promise is the ground of prayer. (2.) God shall be considered to dwell on earth, not indeed in temples made with hands, but in the more glorious temple of the believer's heart. (3.) Every accepted prayer must be through him whom the temple be procured, even Jesus Christ, and which the eye of faith is turned to him, we may be assured God will hear and answer us. (4.) Forgiveness of sin is the constant prayer of the enlightened mind, and among the most invaluable blessings it seeks from God. [3.] He instances a variety of circumstances, in which he begs, that God on their humble application would regard them. (1.) In case of an oath in any contested matter, that he would appear for the vindication of the righteous, and the condemnation of the perjured. Note, God is an avenging God, and will not at his tribunal suffer falsehood and wrong to pass with impunity. (2.) In case of national calamities, occasioned by their sins, whether the sword of their enemies, drought, famine, pestilence, or any other plague, on their repentance and return to God, he believes they may be again restored to his favour, delivered from the evil, and inflicted and led in the way of peace. Note, (1.) Sin is the cause of every calamity. (2.) There is no hope of deliverance from suffering, without repentance for sin. (3.) They who through Jesus Christ return humbly to God, he will return to them in mercy. (4.) Thirteenth God teach and uphold us, our repentance would be God, and our relapse sudden. (3.) When a man convinced of the plague of his own heart, v. 38, his natural corruption, or believing sin, in shame and confusion of face, applies for pardon and healing; he begs the Lord, who knoweth the heart, would hear and forgive, and by such goodness engage the sin- ner to love and fear him for ever, v. 40. Note, (1.) Of all plagues, heart-plagues are the world. (2.) No man who truly knows his own heart but must go on, being burdened, and cry, O wretched man that I am. (3.) God trieth our heart, and seeth much more evil in us, than ever we beheld in ourselves. (4.) Nothing engages a sinner's soul towards God, so much as a sense of his pardoning grace. (4.) If a stranger, engaged by the same of Israel's God, joined in supplication before him, Solomon intrasters he may speed alike with the true Israelites themselves, that God may be glorified even among the most different nations, who should be thus convinced of his grace and power, and that none fought his face in vain. (5.) When they went to battle, and in prayer lifted up their hearts to God, and their eyes to his sanctuary, he intrasters they may succeed, and that God would crown them with victory. Note, They who put their life in their hand, have especially need to seek God's care and protection over them. (6.) In the time of their captivity, which their impulses might bring upon them, and when God in anger should sell them into their enemies hands, he intrasters they may not utterly be cast off; but on their penitentiary return, and their prayer towards his holy temple, that he would forgive them, incline their enemies to pity them, and restore them to their desolate heritage. Note, (1.) When our troubles drive us to our knees, they answer the end for which God sends them. (2.) God hath in his hands the hearts of all men, and can turn our bitterest enemies into friends. (3.) He concludes with a general regard in favour of the people, that whatever they should ask of God might be ground them; and pleads, as an argument, the peculiar and endeared relation in which they stood, as separated from all nations, to be a peculiar people, and for whom God had already shewn such wonders of providence and grace. Note, (1.) Our relation to God, as our covenant God, is a prevailing ground of prayer. (2.) Whatever we ask in the name of Jesus, believing, we are sure to receive. 54. And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands spread up to heaven. 55. And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel, with a loud voice, saying, 56. Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 57. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: 58. That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 59. And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: 60. That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. 61. Let your heart therebe be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. As all the vessels for the court were of the heart brats, all the vessels within the temple were of purest gold. Note, Though all christians are alike consecrated to God, none are more excellent than others, and more highly distinguished. 1. The vessels of the tabernacle, except the ark, mercy-seat, and cherubims, were either new made, or the old new cast, and unattitudes added to them. As the temple was larger it needed more light, and ten candlesticks are made, perhaps beside that grand one which consisted of the seven branches. Ten tables of gold also were placed in the holy place, beside the table of shew bread; and his supposed they stood opposite to the golden candlesticks, ranged on the other side of the house. The bowls, shuffers, and every vessel, were of pure gold, and the Vols. L. very hinges of the same precious materials. Note, When God's glory requires it, we cannot be too liberal. 2. The dedicated things of David were placed in the treasury of the temple, for its future repairs or exigencies; Solomon dared not, like many, farciting—only alternate to his own use what was designed for the service of the sanctuary. CHAP. VIII. The building and furniture of the temple were very glorious, but the dedication of it exceeds in glory. 1. The ark introduced into the temple, vers. 1-9. 2. The glory of God fills the body, vers. 10, 11. 3. Solomon's speech to the assembly of Israel, vers. 12-21. 4. His prayer to God, vers. 22-53. 5. His parting benefice-tion, vers. 54-61. 6. The sacrifices he offered, and the feast he held, vers. 62-60. 1. THEN 'Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon, in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD, 'out of the city of David, which is a Zion. 2. And all the men of Israel assembled them, selves unto king Solomon, 'at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4. And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, 'even those did the priests and the Levites bring up. 5. And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, 'fscrising sheep and oxen, 'that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 6. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD 'unto his place, into the oracle of the house to the most holy place, were under the wings of the cherubims. 7. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark, and the slaves thereof above. 8. And they drew out the slaves, that the ends of the slaves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. 9. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeh, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10. And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11. So that the priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloud: 'for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.