Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 8:38
What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
38. which shall know every man the plague of his own heart ] i.e. The special infliction which is sent to him for his own correction, and for the relief of which he only can fitly pray.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Know every man the plague of his own heart – i. e. perceive ones sinfulness, or recognize ones sufferings as divine chastisements, and sin as their cause.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The plague of his own heart, i.e. either,
1. His sin, which may be called the plague of his heart, in opposition to the other plagues here mentioned, which afflict only the body, or outward man; so the sense is, Who by their afflictions are brought to a true and serious sense of their worse and inward plague of their sins, which are most fitly called the plague of the heart, because that is both the principal seat of sin, and the fountain from whence all actual sins flow, Mat 15:19. Or rather,
2. His affliction; for so this is explained in the parallel place, 2Ch 6:29, (which is the more considerable, because that book was written after this, to explain what was dark or doubtful, and to supply what was lacking in this,) when every one shall know his own sore, and his own grief; which is not unfitly called the plague of his heart, because it was that plague which his heart was most afflicted with, which pained him at the very heart, as the phrase is, Jer 4:19; compare Psa 55:4; which caused him most vexation or grief, which is a passion of the heart: and so the sense is, Who shall know, i.e. be duly and deeply sensible of his affliction, and the hand of God in it; and his sin as the cause of it; for words of knowledge in Scripture do very frequently note such a kind of knowledge as affects and changeth the heart, and reforms the whole course of a mans life; for which cause, men of ungodly lives are frequently said in Scripture not to know God, or Christ, or his word, &c. And therefore no man knows his sore in a Scripture sense but he who bears the rod, who turneth unto him that smiteth him, and sincerely seeketh to the Lord for relief.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
What prayer and supplication soever,…. On account of any of the above things, or any other:
be [made] by any man, or by all the people Israel; by a private man, for such an one might go to the temple and pray by himself; see
Lu 18:10 or by the public congregation:
which shall know every man the plague of his own heart; be sensible of his sin as the cause of his distress, and own it, though ever so privately committed, which none knows but God and his own heart; and which may be only an heart sin, not actually committed; as all sin is originally in the heart, and springs from it, that is the source of all wickedness; it may respect the corruption of nature, indwelling sin, which truly deserves this name, and which every good man is led to observe, confess, and bewail, Ps 51:4. In 2Ch 6:29 it is,
shall know his own sore and his own grief; what particularly affects him, and gives him pain and sorrow, as every man best knows his own affliction and trouble, and so can best represent his own case to the Lord:
and spread forth his hands towards this house; pray with his face towards it, and his hands spread out, a prayer gesture, and what was now used by Solomon, 1Ki 8:22.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
38. The plague of his own heart That particular form of misfortune, pain, moral darkness, and confusion of spirit, which each man may recognise for himself as a Divine judgment upon him for his sins. Happy he who is able to discern the plague of his own heart, and by timely repentance escapes a hopeless ruin!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
DISCOURSE: 334
THE REQUISITES FOR ACCEPTABLE PRAYER
1Ki 8:38-39. What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth hit hands toward this house: then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest.
RELIGION is often thought to be an employment fit only for weak minds, or for those who have nothing else to engage their attention; but it is worthy the pursuit of the wisest and greatest of men. Never did Solomon appear more glorious than when uttering these words. At the head of all his subjects he dedicated his temple to God. He set them a bright example of piety and devotion; and interceded, not for them only, but for all succeeding generations.
In this portion of his instructive prayer we may sec,
I.
The requisites for acceptable prayer
An humble, upright, fervent, believing, submissive, obediential frame of mind is necessary when we approach the throne of grace. But the most essential requisites for acceptable worship are comprised in,
1.
A deep sense of our own depravity
[The plague of ones own heart is, ones in-dwelling corruption [Note: Some understand plague as expressing some loathsome disorder; and the rather because it is translated sore in the parallel passage, 2Ch 6:29. This is the true sense of it when it relates to the body; but here the heart is represented as the seat of this disorder, and therefore it must be understood of sin. This is confirmed by what is said in the text, of Gods knowing the heart.]. Every one has some sin that more easily besets him; and this sin he ought to know. Not that a mere acquaintance with this plague is sufficient: we must know the depth and inveteracy of our disorder. Our knowledge too must produce an unfeigned self-abhorrence, and a full conviction of our utter helplessness: nor without this knowledge can we offer up one acceptable prayer. We cannot lament what we neither feel nor know; or seek for mercy, when we perceive not our need of it. While ignorant of our depravity, we are not in a state to receive mercy: we should not even be willing to accept of mercy on Gods terms. The very offers of salvation would rather excite our displeasure than our gratitude [Note: A man, not sensible that he had subjected himself to capital punishment by breaking the laws of his country, would reject with indignation an offer of deliverance from an ignominious death: but a self-condemned criminal on the eve of his execution would receive such an offer gladly.].]
2.
A believing view of Christ
[The temple of Solomon was the more immediate residence of the Deity: all were on this account directed to look towards it when they prayed. That temple was typical of the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: See Joh 2:19; Joh 2:21 and compare Exo 23:21 with the expression My name shall be there, 1Ki 8:29.]: in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily: to him our eyes are therefore to be directed [Note: Isa 45:22.]. We are to offer all our petitions to him, or in his name [Note: Joh 14:13-14.]. This regard to him is necessary to the acceptance of our prayers: it is through him alone that we gain access to the Deity [Note: Eph 2:18.]. We cannot approach the Father in any other way [Note: Joh 14:6.]; nor is there any other channel whereby the divine blessings can flow down to us [Note: Joh 1:16.]. On these accounts we must stretch out our hands towards him: we must view him as our only source of spiritual blessings.]
They who truly seek after God will soon experience,
II.
The efficacy of prayer when attended with those requisites
Cold or unbelieving petitions will receive no answer [Note: Jam 4:3; Mat 15:8-9; Jam 1:6-7.]; but humble and believing prayer will obtain the richest blessings:
I.
National
[The passage before us relates to the whole Jewish nation: it supposes them to have incurred the heavy displeasure of God, and teaches them how they are to avert his wrath; nor did God leave them in suspense about the issue of such humiliation: he declared in a vision to Solomon that his petitions were accepted [Note: 2Ch 7:12-14.]. The Jewish history affords many striking instances of deliverance vouchsafed to a repenting people [Note: Jehoshaphat praying according to the direction in the text, 2Ch 20:5-13, expressly reminded God of his promise, ver. 9. And the success of his prayer far exceeded all reasonable expectation ; see ver. 2225.]; nor can we doubt but that the same means will still be crowned with the like success [Note: If this were a Fast Sermon, it would be proper to enlarge a little on this idea in reference to the peculiar state of the nation at the time.].]
2.
Personal
He who knows our heart will grant all that we can desire [Note: 1Jn 5:14-15.]:
Forgiveness of sin
[Who more infamous and abandoned than that woman [Note: Luk 7:37; Luk 7:39.]? Yet she, in humility and faith, applied to Jesus [Note: Luk 7:38.], and received an assurance that her iniquities were forgiven [Note: Luk 7:47-48; Luk 7:50.]. And shall not we obtain mercy if we apply to him in the same humble and believing way?]
Peace of conscience
[How troubled, almost to distraction, were the murderers of our Lord [Note: Act 2:37.]! But, according to Peters direction, they looked to Jesus [Note: Act 2:38.], and were immediately filled with peace and joy in believing [Note: Act 2:46.].]
[Note: Those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.] Deliverance from temporal troubles
[We cannot conceive greater temporal affliction than that endured by Jonah [Note: Jon 2:1-3.]; yet, when to appearance irrecoverably lost, he prayed in this manner [Note: Jon 2:4; Jon 2:7.], and experienced a most unparalleled deliverance [Note: Jon 2:10.].]
[Note: Those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.] Victory over our spiritual enemies
[With what vehemence did Satan assault the Apostle Paul [Note: 2Co 12:7.]! The afflicted saint cried with earnestness to the Lord Jesus [Note: 2Co 12:8.]: his troubles were immediately turned into triumphant exultations [Note: 2Co 12:9.].]
Renewal after the divine image
[Nothing on earth does a believer desire so much as this; yet this shall be attained in the same way. An humble and believing view of Christ shall effect it [Note: 2Co 3:18.].]
[Note: Those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.] A peaceful death
[Stephen died by the hands of cruel and blood-thirsty enemies [Note: Act 7:54.]; but he offered an humble and believing prayer to Christ [Note: Act 7:59.], and his death was to him as a serene and peaceful sleep [Note: Act 7:60.].]
A glorious immortality
[He who died justly by the hands of the public executioner must have merited in an high degree the wrath of God [Note: Luk 23:41.]: nevertheless in his last hour he directed his eyes to Christ [Note: Luk 23:42.]; and that very day was he admitted with Christ to Paradise [Note: Luk 23:43.].]
Application
[Let none despair on account of the greatness of their sins, or of the judgments of God which are already inflicted on them. God will suffer none to seek his face in vain. Let every one then bewail the plague of his own heart, and offer up believing prayers towards Gods holy oracle [Note: This will suffice for two Sermons; the first head being the subject of one, and the second head of the other. If it form the ground of one Sermon only, those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 8:38 What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
Ver. 38. Which shall know every man the plague of his own heart. ] His own iniquity; Psa 18:23 the cause of his calamity; as he well understandeth, when sin and wrath meet in the soul, and make a wound in it: the cure whereof he seeketh of God by prayer, which hath a pacifying property, and fetcheth out the stain and sting of sin.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
man. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14.
know = perceive in his own heart. Latin. conscio,
every man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
plague = punishment. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the sin which produces it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
prayer: 2Ch 20:5-13, Psa 50:15, Psa 91:15, Isa 37:4, Isa 37:15-21, Joe 2:17, Amo 7:1-6
the plague: 2Ch 6:29, Job 7:11, Psa 32:3, Psa 32:4, Psa 42:6, Psa 42:9, Psa 42:11, Psa 73:21, Psa 73:22, Psa 142:3-5, Pro 14:10, Rom 7:24, Phi 4:6
spread forth: 1Ki 8:22, Isa 1:15
Reciprocal: Exo 9:14 – send all Exo 9:29 – spread Lev 13:6 – wash Lev 13:12 – cover all Lev 13:29 – General 2Ch 6:28 – whatsoever Ezr 9:5 – spread Job 9:15 – I would Psa 5:7 – I worship Psa 28:2 – thy holy oracle Isa 37:14 – and Hezekiah went Jer 8:4 – turn Lam 1:17 – spreadeth Dan 6:10 – his windows Jon 2:4 – toward
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 8:38. What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man Distressed through national calamities, or private and personal troubles. He now comes to speak of the case of individual Israelites. If any man of Israel has an errand to thee, here let him find thee, here let him find favour with thee. He does not instance in particulars; so numerous, so various are the grievances of the children of men. Which shall know every man the plague of his own heart His sinfulness, the corruption of his nature, which may be called the plague of his own heart, in opposition to the other plagues here mentioned: and so the sense is, Who by their afflictions are brought to a true and serious sense of the inward plague of their sins, which are most fitly called the plague of the heart, because the heart is both the principal seat of sin, and the fountain from whence all sinful thoughts, words, and actions flow. Now every true Israelite labours to know his heart, and the sinfulness and depravity of it, that he may resist and mortify the lusts, passions, and corrupt inclinations thereof, and may watch against the first risings of evil within him. Of these things he complains: these drive him to his knees and to the sanctuary, and, lamenting and seeking deliverance from these, he spreads forth his hands in prayer, as Hezekiah spread his letter before the Lord. Reader, is this thy practice?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:38 What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own {o} heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
(o) For such are most suitable to receive God’s mercies.