The Lord Appears to Solomon(A)

11 When Solomon had finished(B) the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, 12 the Lord appeared(C) to him at night and said:

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen(D) this place for myself(E) as a temple for sacrifices.

13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain,(F) or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name,(G) will humble(H) themselves and pray and seek my face(I) and turn(J) from their wicked ways, then I will hear(K) from heaven, and I will forgive(L) their sin and will heal(M) their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.(N) 16 I have chosen(O) and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

17 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully(P) as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees(Q) and laws, 18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted(R) with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor(S) to rule over Israel.’(T)

19 “But if you[a] turn away(U) and forsake(V) the decrees and commands I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot(W) Israel from my land,(X) which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule(Y) among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled(Z) and say,(AA) ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them(AB)—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 7:19 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. 2 Chronicles 7:19 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. 2 Chronicles 7:21 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now so imposing, all

Psalm 142[a]

A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(A) A prayer.

I cry aloud(B) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(C)
I pour out before him my complaint;(D)
    before him I tell my trouble.(E)

When my spirit grows faint(F) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(G)
    no one cares(H) for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(I)
    my portion(J) in the land of the living.”(K)

Listen to my cry,(L)
    for I am in desperate need;(M)
rescue me(N) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(O) for me.
Set me free from my prison,(P)
    that I may praise your name.(Q)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
  2. Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.(A) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.(B) 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders(C) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil(D) in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith(E) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins(F) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.(G) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.(H)

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are.(I) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.(J) 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.(K)

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