Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
1 Kings 8:57
“ YHWH our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us, nor forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.”
Solomon then expressed the heartfelt desire that YHWH would be with them as His people. ‘May YHWH our God be with us as He was with our fathers'. His hope was based on the evidence of YHWH's faithfulness through history. This idea that YHWH would be ‘with them' finds continual expression in Israel's worship in Psalms 46:7; Psalms 46:11.
“Let him not leave us, nor forsake us.” And he prayed that YHWH would never leave them or forsake them. The words are taken from his father's Psalms 27:9, ‘You have been my help, leave me not nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.' And they echoed the promise given to David in the everlasting covenant that, ‘My mercy will not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul' (2 Samuel 7:15). For God's faithfulness to the king meant His faithfulness to his people. His dependence was on YHWH's faithfulness to His promises.
But he recognised that God's blessing depended on obedience, and so he called on God to incline their hearts to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes and judgments. He recognised that it could only be as a result of God's specific work on their hearts that they were likely to be obedient (compare Philippians 2:13). The combinations cover every aspect of Mosaic Law. For the idea of ‘inclining hearts' compare Judges 9:3; Psalms 119:36. To ‘walk in all his ways' is found in Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 11:22; Joshua 22:5, although the thought is also contained in Genesis 5:24; Genesis 17:1; Leviticus 18:4; Leviticus 26:3; Deuteronomy 5:33; Deuteronomy 8:6; Deuteronomy 26:17; Deuteronomy 30:16. The combination of commandments, statutes and judgments in this order is found only in Deuteronomy 26:17; Deuteronomy 30:16; but it is noteworthy that in Deuteronomy the ‘all' in ‘all His ways' is omitted in both cases. See also 1 Kings 2:3; 1 Kings 3:14; 1 Kings 6:12; Genesis 26:5; Exodus 15:26; Leviticus 26:3; Leviticus 26:15; Deuteronomy 5:29; Deuteronomy 5:31; Deuteronomy 6:1; Deuteronomy 6:17; Deuteronomy 8:11; Deuteronomy 11:1; etc.; 2 Samuel 22:23. It is not therefore a direct citation from any source (although very close).
“ And let these my words, with which I have made supplication before YHWH, be nigh to YHWH our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day shall require, that all the peoples of the earth may know that YHWH, he is God; there is none else.”
He then expressed the pious wish that the prayer that he had prayed might be near to God day and night so that He might ‘maintain the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel, as every day shall require'. But, of course, the only way to ensure that that would be so would be to continue to pray it daily. Stale prayers are of little value. And that was where Solomon (Israel's intercessor), in spite of all his wisdom, would fail. (How different it is for those who have a constant and unfailing Intercessor praying on their behalf day and night - Hebrews 7:25).
“That he maintain the cause of (make the case effective of) His servant and His people Israel.” This was a desire that YHWH would constantly step into their situation and see that they received what was right. It assumed obedience. It was only as they walked with Him that they had a right to blessing.
And his final aim was that all the peoples of the earth might see YHWH's unique faithfulness to His people and recognise that it indicated that ‘He is God and there is no other' (compare 1 Kings 18:39; Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 45:5).