2 Chronicles 6:12-13 And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubitsbroad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.
At the dedication of the temple Solomon prayed. He assumed the posture of humble praise. He kneeled down upon his knees as an outward expression of his own unworthiness to stand before a Holy God. It is the sign of a sinful beggar, humbling himself in the presence of the King. He spread forth his hands toward heaven as an outward expression of the worthiness of God, whose love and mercy we praise. Then, in that posture, he prayed to the Lord.
This response exemplifies the same inward posture in which we come before the Holy, Almighty God in prayer. We are humble, confessing our sinfulness and unworthiness to approach God. We also at the same time praise God for granting us His worthiness because of Jesus. Thus we pray in Jesus’ name. For His sake He hears our pleas and prayers.
There is a kind of paradox to our prayerful relationship with God: humility and glory at the same time. The humbleness is ours; the glory is His. The sin is mine; the forgiveness is His. I am worthy of death and damnation; Jesus for me is worthy of life and salvation. Therefore, this beggar asks with faith in the goodness of the king.