Solomon: Israel’s Wisest King (27): The Climax of the Temple’s Dedication (II Chronicles 7:1-11) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. Fire and Worship
II. Sacrifices and Music
III. Feasts and Gladness
Psalm singing: 95:1-6; 22:15-21; 132:1-10; 106:1-5, 48 (see bottom for the words to the Psalms)
Scripture reading: II Chronicles 6:40-7:11
Matthew Henry on II Chronicles 7:3: "When the fire of the Lord came down they praised him, saying, He is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. This is a song never out of season, and for which our hearts and tongues should be never out of tune. However it be, yet God is good. When he manifests himself as a consuming fire to sinners, his people can rejoice in him as their light. Nay, they had reason to say that in this God was good. 'It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but the sacrifice in our stead, for which we are bound to be very thankful.'"

Psalm 95:1-6
1 O COME, let us sing to the Lord:
come, let us ev’ry one
A joyful noise make to the Rock
of our salvation.
2 Let us before his presence come
with praise and thankful voice;
Let us sing psalms to him with grace,
and make a joyful noise.
3 For God, a great God, and great King,
above all gods he is.
4 Depths of the earth are in his hand,
the strength of hills is his.
5 To him the spacious sea belongs,
for he the same did make;
The dry land also from his hands
its form at first did take.
6 O come, and let us worship him,
let us bow down withal,
And on our knees before the Lord
our Maker let us fall.
Psalm 22:15-21
15 My strength is like a potsherd dry’d;
my tongue it cleaveth fast
Unto my jaws; and to the dust
of death thou brought me hast.
16 For dogs have compass’d me about:
the wicked, that did meet
In their assembly, me inclos’d ;
they pierc’d my hands and feet.
17 I all my bones may tell; they do
upon me look and stare.
18 Upon my vesture lots they cast,
and clothes among them share.
19 But be not far, 0 Lord, my strength;
haste to give help to me.
20 From sword my soul, from pow’r of dogs
my darling set thou free.
21 Out of the roaring lion’s mouth
do thou me shield and save:
For from the horns of unicorns
an ear to me thou gave.
Psalm 132:1-10
l DAVID, and his afflictions all,
Lord, do thou think upon;
2 How unto God he sware, and vow’d
to Jacob’s mighty One.
3 I will not come within my house,
nor rest in bed at all;
4 Nor shall mine eyes take any sleep,
nor eyelids slumber shall;
5 Till for the Lord a place I find,
where he may make abode ;
A place of habitation
for Jacob’s mighty God.
6 Lo, at the place of Ephratah
of it we understood ;
And we did find it in the fields,
and city of the wood.
7 We’ll go into his tabernacles,
and at his footstool bow.
8 Arise, 0 Lord, into thy rest,
th’ ark of thy strength, and thou.
9 0 let thy priests be clothed, Lord,
with truth and righteousness;
And let all those that are thy saints
shout loud for joyfulness.
10 For thine own servant David’s sake,
do not deny thy grace;
Nor of thine own anointed one
turn thou away the face.
Psalm 106:1-5, 48
1 GIVE praise and thanks unto the Lord,
for bountiful is he;
His tender mercy doth endure
unto eternity.
2 God’s mighty works who can express ?
or shew forth all his praise?
3 Blessed are they that judgment keep,
and justly do always.
4 Remember me, Lord, with that love
which thou to thine dost bear;
With thy salvation, O my God,
to visit me draw near:
5 That I thy chosen’s good may see,
and in their joy rejoice;
And may with thine inheritance
triumph with cheerful voice.
48 Bless’d be JEHOVAH, Isr’el’s God,
to all eternity:
Let all the people say, Amen.
Praise to the Lord give ye.