2 Chronicles , Sarah Barry
SOLOMON PRAYS FOR GOD'S PEOPLE
Passage: 2_Chronicles 6:22~42  
Key verse: 40
22 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath(A) and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, 23 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning(B) the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.
24 “When your people Israel have been defeated(C) by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(D) 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, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive(E) 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.
28 “When famine(F) or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 29 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out their hands toward this temple— 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive,(G) and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart),(H) 31 so that they will fear you(I) and walk in obedience to you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.
32 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come(J) from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand(K) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 33 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner(L) 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.
34 “When your people go to war against their enemies,(M) wherever you send them, and when they pray(N) to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
36 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(O)—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive(P) to a land far away or near; 37 and if they have a change of heart(Q) in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; 38 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 39 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive(R) your people, who have sinned against you.
40 “Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive(S) to the prayers offered in this place.
41 “Now arise,(T) Lord God, and come to your resting place,(U)
you and the ark of your might.
May your priests,(V) Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.(W)
42 Lord God, do not reject your anointed one.(X)
Remember the great love(Y) promised to David your servant.”
Cross references
- 2 Chronicles 6:22 : S Ex 22:11
- 2 Chronicles 6:23 : Isa 3:11; 65:6; S Mt 16:27
- 2 Chronicles 6:24 : S Lev 26:17
- 2 Chronicles 6:26 : Lev 26:19; S Dt 11:17; 28:24; S 2Sa 1:21
- 2 Chronicles 6:27 : ver 30, 39; 2Ch 7:14
- 2 Chronicles 6:28 : 2Ch 20:9
- 2 Chronicles 6:30 : S ver 27
- 2 Chronicles 6:30 : S 1Sa 2:3; Ps 7:9; 44:21; Pr 16:2; 17:3
- 2 Chronicles 6:31 : S Dt 6:13; Ps 34:7, 9; 103:11, 13; Pr 8:13
- 2 Chronicles 6:32 : 2Ch 9:6
- 2 Chronicles 6:32 : S Ex 3:19, 20
- 2 Chronicles 6:33 : S Ex 12:43
- 2 Chronicles 6:34 : Dt 28:7
- 2 Chronicles 6:34 : S 1Ch 5:20
- 2 Chronicles 6:36 : S 1Ki 8:46; Job 11:12; 15:14; Ps 143:2; Ecc 7:20; Jer 9:5; 13:23; 17:9; S Ro 3:9; Eph 2:3
- 2 Chronicles 6:36 : S Lev 26:44
- 2 Chronicles 6:37 : 1Ki 8:48; 2Ch 7:14; 12:6, 12; 30:11; 33:12, 19, 23; 34:27; 36:12; Isa 58:3; Jer 24:7; 29:13
- 2 Chronicles 6:39 : S ver 27; 2Ch 30:9
- 2 Chronicles 6:40 : S 1Ki 8:29, 52; 2Ch 7:15; Ne 1:6, 11; Ps 17:1, 6; 116:1; 130:2; Isa 37:17
- 2 Chronicles 6:41 : Ps 3:7; 7:6; 59:4; Isa 33:10
- 2 Chronicles 6:41 : 1Ch 28:2
- 2 Chronicles 6:41 : Ps 132:16
- 2 Chronicles 6:41 : Ps 13:6; 27:13; 116:12; 142:7
- 2 Chronicles 6:42 : Ps 2:2
- 2 Chronicles 6:42 : Ps 89:24, 28
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
Solomon knew that God's people would turn away from God and commit sin. Solomon prayed that when they suffered defeat, drought, disaster, disease, and even captivity because of their sin, God would hear their cries and forgive them when they prayed toward the temple and repented of their sin. He also prayed for justice when people wronged each other and for God to answer the prayers of foreigners when they prayed towards the temple. Forgiveness is the most important prayer topic for our own people. Pray for the people of our nation to turn to Jesus and be saved.
2. Now arise, LORD God (40-42)
'May your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.' God's temple was to be a house of prayer for the nations. What a blessing it is to have a God who sees and hears the prayers of his people! Solomon prayed for the LORD God to arise and come to the temple. He concluded by praying that God would not reject him but remember the great love he promised to David.
Prayer: Father, help us to pray for our nation.
One Word: God sees and hears our prayers