2 Chronicles 6:12–21

SOLOMON’S PRAYER

¹²Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. ¹³For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7½ feet^A long, 7½ feet wide, and 4½ feet^B high and put it in the court. He stood on it,^a knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.^{b 14}He said:

Lord God of Israel,

there is no God like you

in heaven or on earth,^c

who keeps his gracious covenant

with your servants who walk before you

with all their heart.^d

¹⁵You have kept what you promised

to your servant, my father David.

You spoke directly to him,

and you fulfilled your promise by your power,

as it is today.^e

¹⁶Therefore, Lord God of Israel,

keep what you promised

to your servant, my father David:

“You will never fail to have a man

to sit before me on the throne of Israel,^f

if only your sons take care to walk in my Law

as you have walked before me.”

¹⁷Now, Lord God of Israel, please confirm

what you promised to your servant David.

¹⁸But will God indeed live on earth with humans?

Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,^g

much less this temple I have built.

¹⁹Listen^C to your servant’s prayer and his petition,

Lord my God,

so that you may hear the cry and the prayer

that your servant prays before you,

²⁰so that your eyes watch over this temple

day and night,

toward the place where you said

you would put your name;^h

and so that you may hear the prayer

your servant prays toward this place.

²¹Hear the petitions of your servant

and your people Israel,

which they pray toward this place.

May you hear in your dwelling place in heaven.

May you hear and forgive.