And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: Stood - He ascended the brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and then kneeled down upon his knees, with his hands spread up to heaven, and offered up the following prayer: see 1 Kings 8:54, and 2 Chronicles 5:12, 2 Chronicles 5:13.
And spread forth his hands toward heaven - This was a usual custom in all nations: in prayer the hands were stretched out to heaven, as if to invite and receive assistance from thence; while, humbly kneeling on their knees, they seemed acknowledge at once their dependence and unworthiness. On this subject I have spoken elsewhere. In the Scriptures we meet with several examples of the kind: Hear my voice - when I Lift Up My Hands toward thy holy oracle; Psalms 28:2. Lift Up Your Hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord; Psalms 134:2. Let my prayer be set forth - and the Lifting Up of My Hands as the evening sacrifice; Psalms 141:2. And see 1 Timothy 2:8, etc.
In heathen writers examples are not less frequent:
Sustulit exutas vinclis ad sidera Palmas.
Vos aeterni ignes, et non violabile vestrum Testor numen, ait.
Virg. Aen. lib. ii., ver. 153.
Ye lamps of heaven, he said, and Lifted High His Hands, now free; thou venerable sky, Inviolable powers!
And that they kneeled down when supplicating I have also proved. Of this too the Scriptures afford abundant evidence, as do also the heathen writers.
I need add but one word: -
Et Genbius Pronis supplex, similisque roganti,
Circumfert tacitos, tanquam sun brachia, vultus.
Ovid, Met. lib. iii., f. 3, ver. 240.
Indeed, so universal were these forms in praying, that one of the heathens has said, "All men, in praying, lift up their hands to heaven.