Temple and Its Dedication
23
“The Lord reigneth;
Let the people tremble:
He sitteth between the cherubims;
Let the earth be moved.
“The Lord is great in Zion;
And He is high above all the people.
Let them praise Thy great and terrible name;
For it is holy....
“Exalt ye the Lord our God,
And worship at His footstool;
For He is holy.”
Psalm 99:1-5
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“In the midst of the court” of the temple had been erected “a brazen
scaffold,” or platform, “five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and
three cubits high.” Upon this Solomon stood and with uplifted hands
blessed the vast multitude before him. “And all the congregation of
Israel stood.”
2 Chronicles 6:13, 3
.
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,” Solomon exclaimed, “who
hath with His hands fulfilled that which He spake with His mouth to
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my father David, saying, ... I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name
might be there.”
Verses 4-6
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Solomon then knelt upon the platform, and in the hearing of all the
people offered the dedicatory prayer. Lifting his hands toward heaven,
while the congregation were bowed with their faces to the ground, the
king pleaded: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in the
heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and showest mercy
unto Thy servants, that walk before Thee with all their heart.”
“Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold,
heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less
this house which I have built? Have respect therefore to the prayer of
Thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto
the cry and the prayer which Thy servant prayeth before Thee: that
Thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place
whereof Thou hast said that Thou wouldest put Thy name there; to
hearken unto the prayer which Thy servant prayeth toward this place.
Hearken therefore unto the supplications of Thy servant, and of Thy