Turn not away the face of thine anointed - i. e., make him not to hide his face through shame at having his prayers rejected (compare the 1 Kings 2:16 note).

The mercies of David - i. e., "God's mercies toward David."

Turn not away the face of thine anointed - "At least do me good; and if not for my sake, do it for thy own sake." - Jarchi.

These two last verses are not in the parallel place in 1 Kings 8:22-53. There are other differences between the two places in this prayer, but they are not of much consequence.

O LORD God, turn not away the face of {n} thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.

(n) Hear my prayer, I who am your anointed king.

6:42 Thine anointed - Of me, who by thy command was anointed the king and ruler of thy people: do not deny my requests, nor send me from the throne of thy grace with a dejected countenance. The mercies - Those which thou hast promised to David and to his house for ever. And thus may we plead, with an eye to Christ, who is called David, Hos 3:5. Lord, remember his merits, and accept of us, on the account of them. Remember the promises of the everlasting covenant, which are called the sure mercies of David, Isa 55:3. This must be all our desire, all our hope, all our prayer, and all our plea; for it is all our salvation.

42. turn not away the face of thine anointed-that is, of me, who by Thy promise and appointment have been installed as king and ruler of Israel. The words are equivalent in meaning to this: Do not reject my present petitions; do not send me from Thy throne of grace dejected in countenance and disappointed in heart.

remember the mercies of David thy servant-that is, the mercies promised to David, and in consideration of that promise, hear and answer my prayer (compare Ps 132:10).

6:1-42 Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. - The order of Solomon's prayer is to be observed. First and chiefly, he prays for repentance and forgiveness, which is the chief blessing, and the only solid foundation of other mercies: he then prays for temporal mercies; thereby teaching us what things to mind and desire most in our prayers. This also Christ hath taught us in his perfect pattern and form of prayer, where there is but one prayer for outward, and all the rest are for spiritual blessings. The temple typified the human nature of Christ, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. The ark typified his obedience and sufferings, by which repenting sinners have access to a reconciled God, and communion with him. Jehovah has made our nature his resting-place for ever, in the person of Emmanuel, and through him he dwells with, and delights in his church of redeemed sinners. May our hearts become his resting-place; may Christ dwell therein by faith, consecrating them as his temples, and shedding abroad his love therein. May the Father look upon us in and through his Anointed; and may he remember and bless us in all things, according to his mercy to sinners, in and through Christ.