Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication (Solomon): King Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the Temple strongly emphasized the need for the forgiveness of sins. Would God respond with mercy in their time of need? If God is good and faithful and is here, then we can trust that when we pray, he will hear us and save us—even from ourselves. Recorded on Dec 28, 2025, on 1 Kings 8:22-53 by Pastor David Parks.
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This sermon is part of the Solomon: The Legacy of a King series. King Solomon was a complex man whose story started some 3,000 years ago, when David, his father, was the most powerful and successful king of ancient Israel. David’s reign brought peace, prosperity, and plans to build the temple before handing the kingdom to Solomon. How would King Solomon handle living in the shadow of his great father’s legacy? Would he learn to be a wise and godly king? Could he overcome the plotting of his enemies, the dysfunction of his family, and the temptations of virtually unlimited wealth, fame, and women? What would be his legacy? Solomon’s story is a vital part of the history leading up to the ultimate son of David and anointed king, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon Transcript
Well, I truly hope you all had a great Christmas. We certainly did. But today, we’re going to jump back into our sermon series on one of the most important kings of ancient Israel, a series called Solomon: The Legacy of a King. Most of our series has followed the story of Solomon’s life from the book of 1 Kings, which we’ll jump back into today. But if you recall, the signature building project of King Solomon’s life, that of building the Temple of God in the city of Jerusalem, was finished. It had taken years to plan/organize and then seven years for almost 200,000 workers to build, but it was finally complete. The ark of the covenant had been brought into the Most Holy Place, the priests had started their work, and the glory cloud of God filled the Temple, letting everyone know that God’s own holy presence was there. This was God’s house, and the Lord was home. The Temple was, of course, a place of worship, as we’ll focus on next week. Worship is always a central activity of God’s people in relationship to him. But the Father’s house, as Jesus later famously said, was to be a house of prayer. Not that prayer isn’t part of our worship, it is! But how you pray and what you pray for directly depends on who you believe God is. And for all his later problems, here at the dedication of the Temple, King Solomon offered a powerful prayer that might just change/transform how you pray. So today, if anyone here would like more power in their prayer life, then this sermon is for you. If you have your Bible/app, please open to 1 Kings 8:22. It’s a little longer passage today, but you can handle it! And we’ll unpack it as we go.
1 Kings 8:22–26 (NIV), “22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 23 and said: “Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today. 25 “Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ 26 And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true.” Here, King Solomon represented the whole kingdom as he stood before the altar in front of the whole assembly of Israel. And notice his posture: standing up, with arms up, and hands spread out toward heaven. His physical posture represents his heart of praise/honor for God, and his expectation of an answer from God. Some of us lift our hands when we sing worship music. It’s the same thing. The outer posture reflects the heart. I know some of you think you’re too cool for that, but get over it! If God moves your heart, let him move your hands, too! But notice, Solomon starts by focusing on the character of God. “…there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.” This affirmation of God’s good/faithful character served as the basis for the seven requests that form the body of his prayer.
1 Kings 8:27-40 (NIV), “27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 31 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, 32 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence. 33 “When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple, 34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors. 35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance. 37 “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands toward this temple—39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), 40 so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.” On this, the joyful day of celebration for the dedication of the Temple, King Solomon prayed that God would have…mercy? Now, we saw it last year in our Exodus series, and we were reminded of it when the cloud of the glory of God prevented the priests from even entering the Temple, but the holiness of God was still something of a threat to sinful people. Could a holy God live in the midst of a sinful people? Well, the answer is yes, but it’s tricky. Because even though a compassionate and gracious God would be slow to anger, God could still get angry! But v. 27 starts with a very humble admission from a very wealthy and powerful king who just built one of the most expensive and beautiful buildings on earth. He knew that even the best human achievement is but a shadow of what God, the creator of the stars and galaxies, mountains and oceans, deserves. And yet, God had chosen this people to be his people, and this kingdom to be his kingdom, and this temple to be his house, the place where his name would dwell. And if an infinitely holy God was going to dwell with an imperfect people, prone to wander, sometimes good and faithful, but other times wicked and hard-hearted and stiff-necked toward the Lord their God, then at the very least, they needed some serious prayer. This is why Solomon prayed for mercy, because he knew that he and his people would need it. So, as he prayed, Solomon laid out seven scenarios where they would need the mercy of God. Let’s cover the first four now. First, when there was sin between neighbors, when someone had failed to love their neighbor as themselves. (That never happens, right? Right.) Well, Solomon prayed that God would make the truth known and render justice, but also forgive. “Hear our pleas, Lord, but when you hear, forgive.” Second, when an enemy defeated Israel (and this is key), because they sinned against God, and when they repent and turn back and pray in the Temple again, forgive them and rescue them. Third, when there’s a drought, when there’s no rain (and again, this is key), because your people sinned against God, and when they repent and pray toward the Temple once again, forgive them, teach them the right way to live, and send rain. Are you seeing a theme here? Fourth, when there’s a plague or something like that (Solomon lists various calamities), because of the sinful affliction of their hearts, and when anyone among your people prays for help, forgive and act, oh Lord. Even if a little child prays for your help, would you hear their prayer, oh Lord, and answer their plea? Here, we have four requests that all concern the forgiveness of sins. Four times in a row, “Lord, (not if but) when your people fall into gross sin, would you forgive/rescue them once again?” But shouldn’t this have been more celebration and less desperation on the day of the grand opening of the Temple? Perhaps. Solomon does go on to pray for a few other things. Let’s consider those requests before we judge his prayer.
1 Kings 8:41-45 (NIV), “41 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name—42 for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. 44 “When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 45 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.” Now, this is interesting! Solomon’s fifth request is for those who were not his citizens — people from pagan nations who likely worshipped all sorts of false gods. Surely, they wouldn’t be welcome at the house of Yahweh, would they? People who had never even read, much less obeyed, the Law of Moses. Well, Solomon prayed for the foreigner from a distant land, who came because of the reputation of their God. He prayed that no matter what their background was or what they had done, whether they were young/old, rich/poor, or male/female, that God would hear the prayers of these seekers and act for them, just as he heard and would act on behalf of his own people. What God would do that? Well, in our series, we’ve already been reminded of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah that Israel would be a blessing to all the nations of the world. And we saw in Solomon’s treaty with the Gentile king, Hiram, to help build the Temple, God’s desire for both Jew and Gentile to help build his house. Ultimately, in the mystery of the gospel, we see that God always planned to have both Jew and Gentile in his family of the redeemed of the earth. King Solomon knew that the house he had built for the Lord was a house that was open to all. Why? Because God is the “compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (Ex 34:6–7). This wasn’t just God’s curated image for social media and good publicity; this is who he was, and is, and ever would be. This is why Solomon knew God would welcome anyone. God wanted all the peoples of the earth to know him and to walk in a relationship with him. Sixth, King Solomon prayed that the Lord would hear and help his people when they were at war with their enemies. But did you notice that this time, he doesn’t mention anything about sin? The war didn’t come as a result of Israel’s disobedience, but because of their obedience! “When your people go to war…wherever you send them…” then hear their prayers, do not abandon them, but uphold their cause. So, “when there’s a dispute between neighbors because of sin, or when Israel is defeated because of sin, or when there’s a drought because of sin, or when there’s some plague because of sin, or (let’s see, what else?), I guess there could be a foreigner who wants to know you or a war that doesn’t have to do with sin, but when people are crying out to you, then Lord, hear their prayers and intervene. Why? Because you are good and you are faithful.” Ok! Is that all? Well, just one more thing.
1 Kings 8:46-53 (NIV), “46 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; 48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50 And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy; 51 for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace. 52 “May your eyes be open to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you. 53 For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance, just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign Lord, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.” This is God’s word. So, if my math is right, five out of seven prayer requests were about the forgiveness of sins. Even if, as the last request made clear, Israel was so disobedient that God finally sent them into exile in a foreign land as punishment for their covenant unfaithfulness. Does it seem like, “God, please help these losers and forgive them when they will obviously fail.” Well, it might seem a bit…pessimistic, but I don’t believe Solomon was insulting his people or demeaning his kingdom. He was using the wisdom God had given him and prayed the best prayer he could. Because he knew what was in the hearts of people. He knew the corrupting influence of sin. He knew that even with a holy God dwelling in their midst, even with the Law and the whole sacrificial system to deal with the problem of sin, the people would still need to be saved. So Solomon prayed for mercy, again and again. So, this wasn’t pessimistic; it was a hopeful prayer, perfectly fitting for the dedication of the Lord’s house. Why? Because of the character of the Lord! Because of the steadfast-loving-kindness of God! Here’s the big idea of Solomon behind his prayer, and this is the thing that has the power to change your prayers even to this day: If God is good and faithful and is here, then we can trust that when we pray, he will hear us and save us—even from ourselves. God’s character is the basis for all of our prayers. If God isn’t good or faithful or here, then why should we pray about anything? But I love what commentator Paul House writes about this passage, “God is lofty, holy, and mysterious, yet approachable and personal at the same time. The temple will serve as the physical symbol of these divine realities. Here the unapproachable Lord becomes approachable and ready to help those who worship, sacrifice, and pray.” (House, Paul R. 1, 2 Kings. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995, p. 144.) I love that. God is approachable. This was seen in the Temple story, but how much more in the Christmas story? The uncreated Son of God becomes a human being. The eternal One steps down into time and space. The unapproachably holy Lord becomes flesh and blood, ready to hear, ready to help. Just think, if God were not good, then why would he care? And if God were not faithful, then we could never trust him. And if God wasn’t near, if he was far off and removed from our lives, then how would he even know/hear us in our time of need? But if God is good and faithful and is here, then we can trust him that when we pray, he will not only hear us but save us—even from ourselves and the messes of our own making. This is what the Temple was all about. It was a living picture that God was good and faithful and was here. King Solomon knew this, which is why he prayed as he did. But do you know who needed to be reminded of this? The first audience of this text: the people of Israel who lived during the time of the exile. They were experiencing all the punishment and disaster that Solomon had prayed about all those years earlier. They needed to be reminded that God was good and faithful. That he would be merciful to them and would hear their prayers if they would only humble themselves and turn back to him. But it wouldn’t be until the first advent/arrival in the birth of Christ, when they would see how God would answer their prayers. How God himself would atone for the sins of the world, not through a sacrifice made at Solomon’s Temple, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus paid the price we could never pay. Why? So that no matter what your background is or what you have done, whether you are young/old, rich/poor, male/female, or Jew/Gentile, God will hear your prayers. He will hear you when you cry out to him for forgiveness, and he will forgive. “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9). In Christ, and in his incarnation, death, and resurrection from the dead, and in the gift of his Spirit, and in his promise to return to make all things new, we see that God is good and faithful and is here. So what? So, just as Solomon prayed, you can trust that when you pray, your Father will hear you and save you—even from yourselves. So today, and all throughout 2026, in light of Solomon’s prayer all those years ago, and in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb 4:16). Amen and amen. Let us pray.
