2 Chronicles 6:42 Meaning: Pleading God’s Faithfulness
“Yahweh God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed. Remember your loving kindnesses to David your servant.”
O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.
O Jehovah God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember thy lovingkindnesses to David thy servant.
O Jehovah God, turn not back the face of Thine anointed, be mindful of the kind acts of David Thy servant.'
Jehovah Elohim, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember mercies to David thy servant.
Meaning in one sentence
Solomon’s closing plea in the temple dedication prayer: he asks God not to reject him but to remember His covenant mercies to David.
Context
Second Chronicles gives us Solomon’s prayer at the temple’s dedication, a long, public cry to God. He has just asked God to hear every future prayer offered in this place, from forgiveness to restoration. Now he turns personal. In the final two verses, he begs God not to turn away from him, the king, and to remember the loving kindnesses He showed David. This closing appeal is unique to Chronicles; the parallel account in 1 Kings 8 ends differently. Solomon echoes a line from Psalm 132, tying his prayer to an older song that also pleaded for God’s faithfulness to the Davidic promise.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this plea. First, mashiach, ‘your anointed.’ Solomon calls himself by a title that means set apart by God’s choice, not by his own ambition. The oil poured on his head marked him as the one God appointed to rule. Second, zakhar, ‘remember.’ In Scripture this is never a passive recall. It means to act on what you know: to keep a promise, to show up, to deliver. Solomon asks God to remember, not because God forgets, but because He keeps covenant. Third, chesed, ‘loving kindnesses.’ This word resists a tidy definition. It means steadfast love, covenant loyalty, the kind of commitment that holds on even when the other person fails. The plural here suggests all the specific promises God made to David: a throne, a house, a son, a forever kingdom. Solomon is not bargaining with his own record; he is holding up God’s own character.
How Christians Read This Verse
Jewish interpreters like Jarchi read the line as a humble request: ‘if not for my sake, do it for thy own sake.’ Christian commentators have seen more. Matthew Henry notes that Solomon pleads the promise, not his own merit. Wesley points ahead to Christ, ‘who is called David,’ and urges readers to pray with an eye to His merits. The Cambridge Bible presents both possibilities: the ‘mercies of David’ could mean the mercies God showed David, or the good deeds David did. Most traditions agree on the main point: the prayer rests on God’s covenant, not human worth.
A common misunderstanding
Some read ‘remember the mercies of David’ as if Solomon is reminding God how good his father was. In fact, the word chesed points to God’s own loyal love, not David’s virtuous acts. Solomon is saying: ‘You loved David and made him promises. I am his son. Keep Your word.’ The appeal is to God’s faithfulness, not a family résumé.
Living This Out
You may come to prayer feeling you have nothing to offer. This verse gives you a different footing. Instead of rehearsing your failures or trying to list your virtues, you can say, ‘Lord, remember Your loving kindnesses.’ You can hold up a promise from Scripture, that He will never leave you, that He works all things for good, that Christ intercedes for you, and pray on that ground. It releases you from the burden of proving yourself worthy to be heard.
Main takeaway: God’s covenant love, not our worthiness, is the foundation of our boldest prayers.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Solomon asked God to remember His promises to King David. You can ask God to remember what He said He would do. God always keeps His word.
For ages 9, 12
Solomon knew he was king only because God chose David. He didn't plead his own goodness. He said, ‘Remember Your kindness to David.’ That’s a smart way to pray, not telling God how good you are, but reminding Him of His promises. You can pray like that too: ‘God, You said You love me. Please help me today.’
Questions People Ask
Why does Solomon say 'don’t turn away the face of your anointed'?
This is a way of saying, 'Do not reject me or make me hang my head in shame because my prayer is denied.' Solomon was anointed as king by God’s command, so he appeals to that relationship. He is asking for favor, not because he deserves it, but because he belongs to God.
What does 'remember the mercies of David' mean?
The Hebrew word for 'mercies' is chesed, which means covenant loyalty or steadfast love. Solomon is not listing David’s good deeds. He is asking God to act on the promises He made to David, the promise of an enduring throne and a house for God’s name. The phrase is about God’s faithfulness, not human merit.
How does this verse connect to Psalm 132:10?
Psalm 132:10 says, 'For your servant David’s sake, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.' Solomon quotes or closely echoes that line. Both are prayers that God would honor the Davidic covenant. The psalm was likely sung when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, so Solomon is linking his temple dedication to that older moment of hope.
Why is this verse not in the parallel passage in 1 Kings 8?
The account in 1 Kings 8 ends Solomon’s prayer differently, without these two verses. Scholars believe the writer of Chronicles drew from a fuller version of the prayer or added this closing plea to emphasize the Davidic covenant, which is a major theme in Chronicles. The two books highlight different aspects of the same event.
Does this verse point to Jesus?
Many Christians see in this verse a foreshadowing of Christ. The word 'anointed' is the same word used for the Messiah. Jesus is the ultimate Anointed One, the Son of David. When believers pray in Jesus’ name, they are essentially saying what Solomon said: 'Lord, remember Your loving kindnesses to Your Anointed, and for His sake, hear us.'
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study