1 Kings 8:23

23 and said, Lord God of Israel, no God in heaven above, neither on earth beneath, is like thee, which keepest covenant and mercy to thy servants, that go before thee in all their heart; (and said, Lord God of Israel, there is no god like thee, in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, which keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants, who go before thee with all their heart;)

1 Kings 8:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:23

And he said, Lord God of Israel
Their covenant God and Father, whereby he was distinguished from all the gods of the Gentiles:

there is no god like thee; in heaven above or on earth beneath;
none among the angels in heaven, nor among kings and civil magistrates on earth, who both are sometimes called "Elohim" gods; but only in a figurative sense, and not to be compared with the one only true God, for the perfection of his nature, or the works of his hands:

who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee
with all their heart;
performs his promises, by which he both declares his mercy or goodness and his faithfulness to such who walk before him, in his ways, and according to his word, in the sincerity and uprightness of their hearts.

1 Kings 8:23 In-Context

21 And I have ordained there a place of the ark, in which ark the bond of peace of the Lord is, which he smote with our fathers, when they went out of the land of Egypt. (And I have ordained a place there for the Ark, in which Ark is the Covenant of the Lord, which he struck with our forefathers, when they went out of the land of Egypt.)
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in the sight of the church of Israel; and he held forth his hands against heaven, (And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, before the congregation of Israel; and he held forth his hands toward heaven,)
23 and said, Lord God of Israel, no God in heaven above, neither on earth beneath, is like thee, which keepest covenant and mercy to thy servants, that go before thee in all their heart; (and said, Lord God of Israel, there is no god like thee, in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, which keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants, who go before thee with all their heart;)
24 and thou keepest to David, my father, thy servant, those things which thou hast spoken to him (and thou hast kept thy promise to thy servant David, my father); by mouth thou hast spoken (it), and by hands thou hast fulfilled (it), as this day proveth.
25 Now therefore, Lord God of Israel, keep thou to thy servant David, my father, those things which thou spakest to him, and saidest, A man of thee shall not be taken away (from) before me, which man shall sit on the throne of Israel, so nevertheless if thy sons keep thy way (as long as thy sons obey thy ways), (so) that they go before me, as thou wentest in my sight.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.