II Chronicles 6:42 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 6:42 Commentary: Pleading the Davidic Covenant
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Solomon appeals to God's 'loving kindnesses to David' as the basis for prayer, and how this plea connects to the Davidic covenant and messianic hope.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon prays that God would not reject his prayer, appealing to the covenant faithfulness promised to David.
- Key words: 'Anointed' (meshiach) refers to the king by divine appointment; 'remember' (zakhar) calls God to act on His covenant.
- Main debate: Whether 'mercies of David' means God's mercies to David or David's good deeds; both views find support in the commentaries.
- Theological theme: The Davidic covenant as the foundation for prayer and hope, fulfilled in Christ the Anointed One.
- Best use: Modeling how to pray God's promises back to Him, especially in times of desperation or when the temple (church) seems empty.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
O LORD God, do not reject Your anointed one. Remember Your loving devotion to Your servant David.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Yahweh God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed. Remember your loving kindnesses to David your servant.”
KJV King James Version 1769
O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
O Jehovah God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember thy lovingkindnesses to David thy servant.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
O Jehovah God, turn not back the face of Thine anointed, be mindful of the kind acts of David Thy servant.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Jehovah Elohim, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember mercies to David thy servant.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
O Lord God, turn not away the face of thy anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Jehová Dios, no hagas volver el rostro de tu ungido: acuérdate de las misericordias de David tu siervo.
SENHOR Deus, não faças virar o rosto de teu ungido: lembra-te das misericórdias de Davi teu servo.
Éternel Dieu, ne repousse pas ton oint, souviens-toi des grâces accordées à David, ton serviteur!
Du, HERR, Gott, wende nicht weg das Antlitz deines Gesalbten; gedenke an die Gnaden, deinem Knechte David verheißen.
O HEERE God! wend het aangezicht Uws gezalfden niet af; gedenk der weldadigheden van David, Uw knecht.
O Eterno, o Dio, non respingere la faccia del tuo unto; ricordati delle grazie fatte a Davide, tuo servo!”
O Panie Boże! nie odwracaj oblicza od pomazańca twego; pamiętaj na miłosierdzie obiecane Dawidowi, słudze twemu.
Господи Боже! не отврати лица помазанника Твоего, помяни милости к Давиду, рабу Твоему.
耶和華 神啊，求你不要 厭棄 你的受膏者，要記念 向你僕人 大衛 所施的慈愛。」
O Lord God, let him whom you have taken for yourself never be given up by you: keep in mind your mercies to David your servant.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 6:42
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse is the climax of Solomon's temple dedication prayer, a personal plea for God to honor the covenant made with David. Barnes notes that 'turn not away the face of thine anointed' means 'make him not to hide his face through shame at having his prayers rejected.' Solomon asks not to be sent away dejected from God's presence. The phrase 'the mercies of David' is interpreted by most as God's covenant loyalties, 'the mercies promised to David' (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) or 'the mercies which thou didst shew to David himself' (Cambridge's first option). Wesley explicitly connects this to Christ: 'with an eye to Christ, who is called David... remember his merits, and accept of us, on the account of them.' The prayer thus grounds all hope in the faithfulness of God to His word.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Mercies as God's covenant faithfulness: Supported by Barnes, Wesley, and the lexical meaning of chesed (covenant loyalty).
- Mercies as David's good deeds: Cambridge offers this as an alternative, appealing to the use of 'mercies' for pious acts elsewhere (2 Chronicles 32:32).
- Christological fulfillment: Wesley explicitly ties the verse to Christ as David's antitype and the sure mercies of Isaiah 55:3.
What is clear: Solomon prays that God would not reject his prayer, grounding his petition in the covenant promises made to David, not in his own merit.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'mercies of David' | The phrase refers to something related to David and the covenant with him, forming the basis of Solomon's appeal. | Some interpret it as God's mercies shown to David (Barnes, Wesley), others as the good deeds or pious acts of David (Cambridge's alternate view). |
| Identity of 'your anointed' | Primarily refers to Solomon, who was anointed king (1 Kings 1:34). | Whether it also refers directly to the Messiah or only typologically. Wesley explicitly sees Christ, while others limit the reference to Solomon. |
| 'Turn not away the face' | A request not to be sent away in shame or rejection. | Whether this is about the king's personal countenance (Barnes) or about God's turning away his face (which would mean rejection). Most agree it means 'do not reject'. |
| Connection to the temple dedication | This verse closes the prayer and ties the temple to the Davidic promise. | Whether it is original to the prayer or added by the Chronicler (since it is absent in 1 Kings 8). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Second Chronicles 6 records Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. Verse 42 is not found in the parallel account of 1 Kings 8; the Chronicler adds this closing plea, drawing directly from Psalm 132:10 ('For your servant David’s sake, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one'). The prayer follows the installation of the ark in the holy of holies, as Solomon kneels on a bronze platform before the altar. He has already rehearsed God's covenant with David (2 Chronicles 6:4, 11) and the promise that a son would build the temple. Now he applies that promise to himself: he is the anointed king (literally 'meshiach'), the one chosen to rule. The word 'anointed' carries weight, it signals divine appointment and consecration for a task. Solomon's plea that God 'remember' (zakhar) the 'loving kindnesses' (chasdei, plural of chesed, covenant loyalty) to David is not a request for God to recall a forgotten fact. In Hebrew, to 'remember' is to act upon a prior relationship. Solomon calls on God to be faithful to His own sworn promises. The historical moment is unique: the temple stands finished, the ark is housed, and the king prays that God would make His dwelling there. The final verse anchors the entire liturgy in the Davidic covenant, tying the temple's future to the throne's future.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. However, Barnes mentions that the parallel in 1 Kings 8 has a different conclusion, suggesting that the Chronicler either used a separate source or deliberately adapted the prayer to emphasize the Davidic covenant. The verse is a direct echo of Psalm 132:10.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this verse was part of the temple liturgy, invoking the covenant with David as the ground for God's presence in the sanctuary. Early Christian interpreters, such as those in the Antiochene tradition, read the 'anointed one' as a type of Christ, and 'the mercies of David' as the new covenant secured by Jesus. Wesley's commentary exemplifies this Christological reading: 'Thus may we plead, with an eye to Christ, who is called David ... Remember his merits, and accept of us, on the account of them.' The verse has been used in Anglican and Reformed liturgies for the prayer of the church during dedication services. Its presence in the Psalms (132:10) gave it a lasting place in Christian prayer and hymnody about the kingly reign of Christ.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Prayer arises from a specific relationship. Solomon does not pray as a stranger. He is God's anointed, David's son, and the beneficiary of a blood covenant. Our prayer stands on the ground God has given us in Christ.
- We plead the promises, not our performance. The basis of Solomon's confidence is not his worth but God's character. He asks God to remember His own 'loving kindnesses.' When we pray, we can appeal to what God has said, not what we deserve.
- The plea looks beyond the moment. The mercies of David pointed forward to the ultimate Anointed One. Every prayer that rests on God's covenant is a prayer that leans into the Messiah's work.
Five-point outline
- A king in need: Solomon's public prayer shows that even the most powerful ruler depends on God's favor.
- A covenant to stand on: The Davidic promises (2 Samuel 7) provide the structure for the appeal.
- A common human fear: 'Don't turn away your face', the raw fear that God might reject us is met by a plea grounded in relationship.
- Mercy remembered: God's chesed is not static; it is remembered actively, enacted in the moment.
- Our anointed King: Christians read this through Christ, the one who never had his face turned away, so that we can approach boldly.
Illustration hooks
- A child who asks a parent to keep a promise, 'You said we would go to the park.' That child rests on the parent's word, not on being good enough.
- A borrower who appears before a lender with a signed contract. The document, not the person's charm, is the ground for the request.
- A mayor standing before a higher official and appealing to a charter that guarantees funding for the city. The authority is in the charter, not in the mayor's skill.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God get tired of my prayers? The verse acknowledges this fear, but shows we can come back to the covenant promises again and again.
- What do I do when I feel my prayers are being rejected? Solomon's response is not to give up but to remind God of His own character.
- How can I be sure God will hear me? The answer is not in my spirituality but in God's faithfulness to His Son, the true Anointed One.
Leading a Discussion
This verse ends a long prayer with a sudden, personal plea. Solomon has spent verses outlining the covenant history and the conditions for forgiveness. Now he names himself, 'your anointed', and appeals to God's covenant loyalty to David. For the group, consider why this verse is not in 1 Kings 8. The Chronicler may have added it to underscore the Davidic hope at the heart of temple worship.
Discussion questions
- Read verse 42 aloud. What emotions do you hear in Solomon's voice, confidence, desperation, hope?
- What does it mean to 'turn away the face' of someone? How does that image shape your understanding of prayer?
- Why does Solomon appeal to 'the mercies of David' rather than his own piety or the quality of his prayer?
- Look up Psalm 132:10. How does this verse echo Solomon's prayer? What does that tell us about how the Psalms were used in temple worship?
- In what ways does this verse look beyond Solomon to the Messiah? (Consider Isaiah 55:3 and the 'sure mercies of David.')
- How can Christians today 'plead the mercies of David' when we pray? What promise do we stand on?
- The word 'remember' in Hebrew (zakhar) implies action, not just mental recall. How might that change how you pray this verse?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 1:34 | Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Blow the trumpet, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ |
| I Kings 2:16 | Now I ask one petition of you. Don’t deny me.” She said to him, “Say on.” |
| Psalms 2:2 | The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying, |
| Psalms 89:24 | But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted. |
| Psalms 89:28 | I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him. |
| Psalms 132:1 | A Song of Ascents. Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction, |
| Psalms 132:10 | For your servant David’s sake, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one. |
| Isaiah 55:3 | Turn your ear, and come to me. Hear, and your soul will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that these closing verses of Solomon's prayer do not appear in the parallel account in 1 Kings 8. He also records Jarchi's reading of the plea: if God will not act for the king's own sake, then at least for His own sake. The remaining differences between the two passages are minor.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the parallel account in Kings ends differently because both writers worked from a shared source, each abbreviating the full prayer of dedication. He explains that "your resting place" means the holy of holies, and links Solomon's words here to his father David's when the ark entered Jerusalem. "The mercies of David" refers to God's faithful kindness toward David.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The writer notes that the phrase "remember the mercies of David" can be understood two ways: either as asking God to show David’s son the same kindness He showed David, or as recalling the faithful acts David performed and blessing his son accordingly.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
O Lord God, refuse not the face of thine anoynted: remember the mercies promised to Dauid thy seruant.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB understands the phrase "thine anointed" as the king himself, installed by God's promise and appointment. The petition is a plea not to be sent away from God's throne disappointed. The appeal to "remember the mercies of David" rests entirely on the covenant promise God made to David, not on the king's own merit.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that Solomon, though a king on a raised platform, kneels low in prayer, showing that true worship humbles even the highest earthly dignity before God's infinite greatness. Solomon's opening words contrast God's unique majesty with His willingness to keep covenant with weak, walking servants.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads "thine anointed" as the psalmist's own claim as God's chosen king, then immediately lifts it to Christ, the true David. For Wesley, the believer's only plea before God is Christ's merits and the covenant promises called the sure mercies of David. This one plea contains all our salvation.