Study Desk

Lord God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, keep such devotion forever strong in your people's hearts and keep them always faithful to you.

Then David commanded the people, "Praise the Lord your God!" And the whole assembly praised the Lord , the God of their ancestors, and they bowed low and gave honor to the Lord and also to the king.

Solomon, the son of King David, took firm control of the kingdom of Israel, and the Lord his God blessed him and made him very powerful.

That night God appeared to Solomon and asked, "What would you like me to give you?"

O Lord God, fulfill the promise you made to my father. You have made me king over a people who are so many that they cannot be counted,

God replied to Solomon, "You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth or treasure or fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king.

I am building a temple to honor the Lord my God. It will be a holy place where my people and I will worship him by burning incense of fragrant spices, where we will present offerings of sacred bread to him continuously, and where we will offer burnt offerings every morning and evening, as well as on Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other holy days honoring the Lord our God. He has commanded Israel to do this forever.

I intend to build a great temple, because our God is greater than any other god.

Yet no one can really build a temple for God, because even all the vastness of heaven cannot contain him. How then can I build a temple that would be anything more than a place to burn incense to God?

Praise the Lord God of Israel, Creator of heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, full of understanding and skill, who now plans to build a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself.

King Solomon also had gold furnishings made for the Temple: the altar and the tables for the bread offered to God;

He said, "Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David when he said to him,

And Solomon continued, "My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel,

"Now the Lord has kept his promise: I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built a temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel.

He prayed, " Lord God of Israel, in all heaven and earth there is no god like you. You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you.

Now, Lord God of Israel, keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him that there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided that they carefully obeyed your Law just as he did.

So now, Lord God of Israel, let everything come true that you promised to your servant David.

"But can you, O God, really live on earth among men and women? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?

Lord my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer and grant the requests I make to you.

"Now, O my God, look on us and listen to the prayers offered in this place.